Will retailers be required to offer cash refunds of deposits under the Deposit Return Scheme?
Under the Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (Wales) Regulations 2026, retailers operating a return point will be required to refund deposits on eligible drinks containers that are returned through the scheme. The Regulations provide for refunds to be made in cash, by payment card or by refund voucher.
Where a retailer accepts cash payments, it must offer to pay the return amount either in the form of cash or a refund voucher. Retailers that do not accept cash payments may provide refunds through the other methods permitted by the Regulations.
The mechanism used to refund deposits under the DRS does not affect a retailer's obligations under the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018.
A deposit refund is the repayment of a deposit previously paid by a consumer when purchasing an eligible drinks container. It is not a reduction in the selling price of an alcoholic product. Retailers must therefore continue to comply with all requirements of the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018 when selling alcohol.