UK households will be paid to bring empty bottles back to their local supermarket as part of a new scheme to tackle plastic waste.
The government has pledged to “clean up Britain” with a new deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and cans – and is giving people a financial incentive to bring their empty containers back.
Households can return their empty bottles and cans to a collection point, which will be based at supermarkets such as Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury's, so that the containers can be recycled.
People who bring back their containers to these collection points will then be paid for their returns.
The deposit return scheme is already used in more than 50 countries worldwide to encourage people to recycle more single-use bottles and cans, including Germany, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.
The UK government says an estimated 30 billion single-use drinks containers are bought by consumers across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland every year, including 12 billion plastic bottles and 13 billion cans. Of these, around 6.5 billion single-use drinks bottles and cans per year go to waste rather than being recycled, with many ending up littered.
As such, it is hoped that by giving people a financial incentive to recycle the scheme will help to significantly reduce the amount of plastic that goes to waste.
The scheme is due to launch in October 2027 in England and Northern Ireland and will include 150ml to three-litre single use plastic and metal drinks containers.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said Scotland's own regulations are also progressing, marking a major step forward for the introduction of the scheme across the three nations.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “This government will clean up Britain and end the throwaway society. This is a vital step as we stop the avalanche of rubbish that is filling up our streets, rivers and oceans and protect our treasured wildlife.
“Turning trash into cash also delivers on our Plan for Change by kickstarting clean growth, ensuring economic stability, more resilient supply chains, and new green jobs.”