Better understands what DRS means for you
WHOLESALER group Unitas Wholesale has launched a new support tool around the deposit return scheme (DRS) to better support UK retailers to prepare for the scheme.
With just over a year to go until DRS goes live in the UK, the new practical tool seek to support independent retailers to better understand what the scheme could mean for their business and how they can start preparing for it now.
As part of this new tool, Unitas has introduced a ‘DRS Calculator’, which is available via Plan for Profit, where retailers can enter information about their business, including store type, size and weekly average sales. This will help to build a clearer picture on the potential commercial and operational impact that DRS could have on the store, says Unitas.
The calculator can help to estimate the potential number of containers that could be returned each week, models the deposits flowing in and out of the business, estimate the potential income from retailer handler fees and help store owners to consider storage requirements for the machine in their store.
Further details about the DRS Calculator will be unveiled at Unitas’ annual conference which is set to take place in Istanbul across 25-28 September. DRS will feature prominently during the conference with Colin Smith, chief executive at the Scottish Wholesale Association, providing delegates with the latest developments on the scheme’s launch.
John Kinney, chief executive at Unitas Wholesale, said: “There is no doubt that the Deposit Return Scheme presents significant challenges for independent retailers. We want to cut through the complexity and translate the scheme into clear, practical information.
“That is why we have created our DRS Calculator, to give retailers genuinely useful support and help them start making informed decisions about what DRS could mean for their individual business.
“The calculator takes industry-wide information and turns it into something much more meaningful at individual store level. 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.”
