After carrying out some consumer research the plastics recycling charity recoup has found that the key to the Deposit Return Scheme is convenience, 56% of consumers said they either wouldn't travel more than a mile to empty their containers and only 14% of said they would be willing to travel more than 3 miles.
The Co-op are trying to trial a deposit return scheme at a number of music festivals in the UK to boost plastic recycling which would in turn reduce marine plastic. If the trial goes well in their pop-up stores in the festivals, they would then look at doing the same in their standard high street stores.
Despite the ongoing rumblings about the deposit return scheme, a parliamentary committee has heard that it may not increase recycling rates, it has revealed there is no real evidence that it would have a dramatic effect in the UK and one of the alternative ideas is to encourage plastic manufacturers of packaging to contribute financially towards recycling projects.