Unitas launches DRS Impact Calculator tool for retailers

With just over a year until the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), Unitas Wholesale has created a practical new tool to help independent retailers understand what the scheme could mean for their business.

DRS will introduce significant operational changes for retailers when it is launched on 1 October 2027.

Retailers selling drinks in eligible PET plastic bottles and aluminium and steel cans will be required to charge customers a deposit, while those operating as return points will also need to manage and verify returned containers, refund deposits, store containers and arrange collections.

“There is no doubt that the Deposit Return Scheme presents significant challenges for independent retailers,” said John Kinney, chief executive of Unitas Wholesale.

“We want to cut through the complexity and translate the scheme into clear, practical information. That is why we have created our DRS Impact Calculator, to give retailers genuinely useful support and help them start making informed decisions about what DRS could mean for their individual business.”

The DRS Impact Calculator is available through Plan for Profit, Unitas’s online retailer resource. Retailers can enter information about their business, including store type, size and average weekly sales, to build an indicative picture of the potential commercial and operational impact of DRS on their store.

The calculator estimates the potential number of containers that could be returned each week, models deposits flowing into and out of the business, estimates potential retailer handling fee income and helps retailers consider the storage requirements associated with either manual returns or a reverse vending machine.

“The calculator takes industry-wide information and turns it into something much more meaningful at individual store level,” said Kinney. “It allows retailers to test different scenarios, understand the potential volumes and financial implications and start thinking about the practical decisions they will need to make. There won’t be one solution that is right for every retailer, so understanding what DRS could mean for your own store is essential.”

The need for greater retailer awareness remains a significant challenge. Research published by the Association of Convenience Stores in June 2026 found that 48% of convenience retailers had no awareness of DRS.

“DRS will be one of the most significant operational changes independent retailers have faced in recent years,” said Kinney. “It will undoubtedly present challenges, but there will also be opportunities. Retailers that prepare early can consider how becoming a convenient destination for consumers returning containers could help protect, and potentially increase, footfall and sales.

“Our message to retailers is simple: don’t wait until October 2027. Start understanding what DRS could mean for your store now, consider your options and put a plan in place. Unitas will be supporting retailers throughout that journey.”

Details of the Unitas DRS Calculator will be given at the group’s 2026 annual conference in Istanbul, taking place on 25-28 September.

DRS will feature prominently during the conference, with Colin Smith, chief executive of the Scottish Wholesale Association, providing delegates with the latest developments ahead of the scheme’s launch. This will be followed by a panel discussion examining how wholesalers, suppliers and retailers can prepare for DRS and work together to manage the transition effectively.