The Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (Wales) Regulations 2026

W.S.I. 2026/103 · Made 25 March 2026

Contents

1. Part 1: Introductory
2. 1Title and coming into force
3. 2Extent and application
4. 3Transitional arrangements for glass deposit items
5. Part 2: Interpretation
6. 4Meaning of “drink”
7. 5Meaning of “supply” and related matters
8. 6Meaning of “scheme producer”, “scheme retailer”, “scheme supplier” and related matters
9. 7Meaning of “established in the United Kingdom”
10. 8The refund
11. 9General interpretation
12. Part 3: Establishment of a Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers
13. 10Establishment of Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers in Wales
14. 11Circumstances in which a person is not entitled to a return amount for a returnable item
15. Part 4: Scheme producers
16. Chapter 1: Registration, information and related matters
17. 12Requirement for scheme producers to be registered to supply SP container drinks
18. 13Register of registered scheme producers
19. 14Requirement for registered scheme producers to keep records about supply of SP container drinks
20. 15Deposit management organisation: power to obtain information from registered scheme producers
21. 16Persons ceasing to be registered scheme producers: cancellation of registration
22. 17Persons ceasing to be registered scheme producers: continuing duties and requirements to record and provide information
23. 18Persons ceasing to be registered scheme producers: updating the SP register
24. Chapter 2: Low volume lines
25. 19Registration of a product line as a “low volume line”
26. 20Cancellation of registration of a product line as a “low volume line”
27. 21Registration of a product line as a “low volume line”: updates to the SP register
28. Chapter 3: Payments to the deposit management organisation
29. 22Registered scheme producer registration fee
30. 23Deposits
31. Part 5: Scheme suppliers
32. 24Prohibition on supply of deposit items from a scheme producer who is not registered with the deposit management organisation
33. 25Labelling of deposit items and scheme multipacks
34. 26Labelling of registered low volume products
35. 27Duty to display information about the Scheme
36. 28Duty to display information about registered low volume products
37. 29Requirement to charge a deposit
38. 30Duty to display information at opted-out premises
39. 31Deposit management organisation: power to obtain information from scheme supplier
40. Part 6: Return of returnable items
41. Chapter 1: Items subject to overseas schemes
42. 32Direction specifying an overseas scheme
43. 33Determination of overseas refund amount
44. 34The overseas refund amount: supplementary provisions
45. Chapter 2: Mandatory return points
46. 35Requirement for in-scope retailers to operate a return point at, on or from MRP premises
47. 36Exemption for small in-scope retailers in urban areas
48. 37Requirement for groceries retailers to provide information at premises without a return point
49. Chapter 3: Voluntary operation of return points
50. 38Voluntary return points
51. 39Operation of return points by the deposit management organisation
52. Chapter 4: Information to be provided at return points
53. 40Information to be provided at a return point
54. Chapter 5: Take-back services and deposit management organisation collections
55. 41Provision of take-back services
56. 42Information about take-back services
57. 43Collection or acceptance of returnable items by the deposit management organisation
58. Chapter 6: Register of return point operators and deposit management organisation return points, register of return point exemptions and register of take-back service providers
59. 44Register of return point operators and deposit management organisation return points
60. 45The register of return point exemptions
61. 46The register of take-back service providers
62. Chapter 7: General obligations of scheme collectors
63. 47Form of return amount
64. 48Payment of return amount to charity
65. 49Requirement for return point operators to retain returnable items
66. 50Requirement for take-back service providers to retain or return returnable items
67. Part 7: The scheme administrator: the deposit management organisation
68. Chapter 1: Appointment and governance
69. 51The deposit management organisation
70. 52Conditions
71. 53Operational plan
72. 54Annual report
73. 55Reserve fund
74. Chapter 2: Scheme logo, scheme packaging logo and scheme return code
75. 56Scheme logo and scheme packaging logo
76. 57Publication of scheme logo and scheme packaging logo
77. 58Scheme return code and code requirements
78. 59Agreement on a common scheme logo, scheme packaging logo and code requirements for a scheme return code
79. Chapter 3: Templates
80. 60Templates
81. Chapter 4: The deposit
82. 61Requirement to determine the amount of the deposit
83. 62Revision of amount of the deposit
84. 63The amount of the deposit: supplementary provisions
85. 64Use of amounts received as deposits
86. Chapter 5: Fees for registration
87. 65Registration fees for registered scheme producers
88. 66Use of registration fees
89. Chapter 6: Review of operation of return points and collection etc. of returnable items
90. 67Review of operation of return points
91. 68Collection etc. of returnable items from scheme collectors and retailers and connected payment
92. 69The handling payment
93. Chapter 7: Recycling of in-scope materials and reuse of refund items
94. 70Recycling in-scope material from returned refund items
95. 71Recycling in-scope material from other returned items
96. 72Amounts received in connection with arrangements made under regulation 70 or 71
97. 73Reuse of returned refund items
98. Chapter 8: NRW
99. 74Payments to NRW
100. 75Information about returns data
101. 76Co-operation
102. Chapter 9: Working with other scheme administrators
103. 77Co-operation and joint working
104. 78Payments to specified administrators
105. Chapter 10: Review of decisions
106. 79Internal review of decisions made by the deposit management organisation
107. 80Internal review: procedure
108. 81Status of decisions pending outcome of internal review
109. Chapter 11: Revocation of a person’s appointment as the deposit management organisation
110. 82Revocation of a person’s appointment as the deposit management organisation
111. 83Interim scheme administrator
112. Part 8: Targets
113. 84Collection targets: the deposit management organisation
114. Part 9: Enforcement
115. Chapter 1: Interpretation
116. 85Interpretation of Part 9
117. Chapter 2: Enforcement powers
118. 86Enforcement powers
119. 87Information
120. Chapter 3: Offences
121. 88Obstructing an authorised person
122. 89Failure to comply with civil sanction
123. 90Liability of directors etc.
124. Chapter 4: Civil sanctions
125. 91Interpretation of Chapter 4
126. 92Civil sanctions: introductory
127. 93Enforcement costs recovery notices
128. 94Penalties and costs received under this Part
129. 95Withdrawing or amending a notice
130. Chapter 5: Public register
131. 96Publication of enforcement action in public register
132. 97Spent convictions of individuals
133. Part 10: Appeals
134. 98Interpretation of Part 10
135. 99Right of appeal
136. 100Procedure on appeal
137. 101Status pending appeal: decision to refuse a person’s application to be appointed as the deposit management organisation
138. 102Status pending appeal: decision to revoke a person’s appointment as the deposit management organisation
139. 103Status pending appeal: civil sanctions
140. 104Determination of appeals
141. Part 11: Functions of NRW
142. 105Annual reports from deposit management organisation
143. 106Appeals
144. Signature
145. Schedule 1: Scheme producers: registration with the deposit management organisation
146. Part 1: Registration
147. 1Interpretation of Part 1
148. 2Registration application
149. 3Decision on registration application
150. 4Requirement to notify the deposit management organisation of changes in registration information
151. Part 2: Cancellation of registration
152. 5Cancellation of registration on the request of the registered scheme producer
153. 6Deposit management organisation’s power to cancel registration
154. Schedule 2: Registration of mandatory return point operators
155. 1Interpretation
156. 2Application for registration
157. 3Application for registration: decision
158. 4Cancellation of registration
159. Schedule 3: Return point exemptions
160. 1Interpretation of Schedule 3
161. 2Application for return point exemption
162. 3Decision on applications for return point exemptions
163. 4Effect of making an application for a return point exemption: applications ongoing on 1 October 2027
164. 5Effect of making an application for a return point exemption: person becoming a groceries retailer on or after 1 October 2027
165. 6Duration, and renewal, of a return point exemption
166. 7Duty to notify the deposit management organisation of a relevant change of circumstances
167. 8Revocation of a return point exemption at the request of the exemption holder
168. 9Revocation of a return point exemption on initiative of the deposit management organisation
169. Schedule 4: Voluntary operation of return points and provision of take-back services
170. Part 1: Introductory
171. 1Interpretation of Schedule 4
172. Part 2: Applications for authorisation to operate a return point
173. 2Application for authorisation to operate a return point at any in-scope premises
174. 3Application for authorisation: small in-scope retailers
175. 4Decision on application
176. 5Duration of a person’s authorisation to operate a return point
177. Part 3: Authorisation of scheme retailer as provider of a take-back service
178. 6Authorisation of a scheme retailer as a take-back service provider
179. 7Decision on application
180. 8Duration of a scheme retailer’s authorisation as a take-back service provider
181. Part 4: Information
182. 9Duty to notify the deposit management organisation of a change in the applicant information, return point authorisation information or take-back service authorisation information
183. Part 5: Revocation of authorisation
184. 10Revocation of authorisation on request
185. 11Revocation of authorisation on initiative of the deposit management organisation
186. Schedule 5: Appointment etc. of the deposit management organisation
187. Part 1: Introductory
188. 1Interpretation of Schedule 5
189. Part 2: Appointment of the deposit management organisation
190. 2Decision on DMO appointment applications
191. Part 3: Revocation of a person’s appointment as the DMO
192. 3Revocation of a person’s appointment as the DMO: on notice
193. 4Revocation of a person’s appointment as the DMO: discretion of the Welsh Ministers
194. 5Transfer of assets etc.
195. 6Transitional provision in connection with paragraph 5
196. 7Continuity in exercise of DMO functions
197. Part 4: Appeals under Parts 2 and 3
198. 8Right of appeal
199. Schedule 6: Civil Sanctions
200. Part 1: Introductory
201. 1Interpretation of Schedule 6
202. 2The Table of Civil Sanctions
203. Part 3: Fixed monetary penalties
204. 2Power to impose an FMP
205. 3Notice of intention to impose an FMP
206. 4Making representations and objections
207. 5Final notice of decision to impose an FMP
208. 6Appeal
209. 7Non-payment after 56 days
210. Part 4: Variable monetary penalty
211. 8Power to impose a VMP
212. 9Notice of intention to issue a VMP
213. 10Representations and objections
214. 11Final notice of decision to impose a VMP
215. 12Contents of final notice
216. 13Appeal against a final notice
217. Part 5: Compliance Notices
218. 14Issue of a compliance notice
219. 15Contents of a compliance notice
220. 16Appeal against a compliance notice
221. Part 6: Enforcement undertaking
222. 17Power to accept an enforcement undertaking
223. 18Form and contents of an enforcement undertaking
224. 19Effect of acceptance of an enforcement undertaking
225. 20Publication of enforcement undertakings
226. 21Discharge of an enforcement undertaking
227. 22Right of appeal
228. 23Inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information
229. 24Partial compliance with an enforcement undertaking
230. Explanatory note