Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 (as amended): business and regulatory impact assessment
Full business and regulatory impact assessment for The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020, as amended by the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland (Amendment) Regulations 2025; and the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland (Designation of Scheme Administrator) Order 2025.
Section 5: Next steps and implementation
Recommendations/ preferred options
266. In line with the Joint Policy Statement and previous Impact Assessments and DRS regulations in Scotland, Option 1 – a DRS for drinks containers – is the preferred option. This will launch in October 2027.
Implementation considerations/ plan
267. Applications for a scheme administrator opened on 02 December 2024 and closed in February 2025. Scottish Ministers seek to assess applications and agree a preferred candidate by April 2025.
268. Once a scheme administrator candidate has been agreed, Scottish Ministers will lay a designation order in Parliament formally to designate the SA. Once designated, the SA can establish their full team, roll-out the DRS infrastructure and complete producer registration before the scheme launches in October 2027.
Post implementation review
269. The Scheme Administrator will be regulated by SEPA, who is responsible for ensuring the SA is acting in accordance with its operational plan. The DRS will be reviewed once it is fully operational and there has been sufficient time to allow data to be available. Scottish Ministers must complete a review of the scheme by October 2032. Performance against annual return rate targets will be monitored.