Public support for a deposit refund scheme on drinks containers is strong

A survey by Ipsos for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) investigated the public’s views towards a possible deposit refund system on drinks containers. The scheme was introduced in the following way: “A deposit refund system could be one way of reducing the amount of bottles and cans left as litter and increase recycling of glass, plastic and aluminium.. When you buy a drink in a bottle or can you would pay a deposit on the container at the same time. When you return the container, you would get your deposit back. You would not need to return your container to the place where you bought it. It would be possible to return your container at local convenience stores, supermarkets and service stations. The costs of this system would be paid for by the money left in the system when people don't return their container to claim their deposit, and by the drinks industry”.

The survey found that public support for a deposit refund scheme on drinks containers is strong, with more than half (53%) supportive of a 15p deposit on 500ml drinks containers (30% are opposed). This support rises to six in ten (60%) for a scheme with a 10p deposit (24% are opposed).

The research also found that 12% of British adults say they would always donate recovered deposits to a local charity, when given the option to do so. A further two-thirds (66%) say they would donate their deposit most or some of the time.

• Download the computer tables (PDF)
• Read the press release on the CPRE website

Technical details

Ipsos conducted the survey, on behalf of CPRE, between 4th-6th March 2011. A representative total sample of 1,008 interviews adults in Great Britain aged 18+ were interviewed by telephone on the Ipsos Telephone Omnibus. Results are weighted to the population profile of Great Britain.