Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 (as amended): equality impact assessment
Equality impact assessment (EQIA) for The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 (as amended by the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for Scotland Amendment Regulations 2025) and the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland (Designation of Scheme Administrator) Order 2025.
The Scope of the EQIA
38. As with previous iterations of the EQIA for DRS, this EQIA assessed the impact of DRS on protected characteristic groups. In particular, this EQIA focusses on the impact from the amendments to existing DRS policy which are given effect to in the Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland Amendment Regulations 2025 and the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland (Designation of Scheme Administrator) Order 2025. This includes removing the mandatory requirement for larger retailers selling drinks online to provide a takeback service for containers.
39. Building on each previous EQIA iteration, further work was undertaken to ensure relevant research and data was updated and findings from relevant consultations were taken into account.[19] Ongoing and previous stakeholder engagement considerations have also considered throughout the development of the DRS, supporting Scottish Government policy decisions for the forthcoming DRS design.