Closing the loop, opening a circular economy: Insights from Coca Cola

The UK’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), launching in October 2027, marks a significant step toward building a circular economy at scale. Designed to tackle the 6.5 billion drinks containers discarded annually across the UK, the scheme will place a refundable deposit on plastic and metal beverage containers to incentivise recycling, reduce litter, and cut carbon emissions. With governments, industry, and environmental groups aligned behind this goal, the appointment of the UK Deposit Management Organisation (UK DMO) signals a new phase of delivery, one that requires cross-sector collaboration, behavioural change, and long-term systems thinking.

However, delivering a scheme of this scale and complexity requires more than just regulatory compliance; it demands shared leadership across businesses. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), a founding board member of UK DMO, is helping to shape that future. We spoke to Sam Jones, CCEP’s Director of Policy and Sustainability GB, about what it takes to close the loop on packaging, align stakeholders across regions, and build a system that works - for business, consumers, and the planet.

What are the biggest policy challenges in your sector today, and how can cross-sector collaboration help address them?

One of the biggest challenges is policy fragmentation, particularly across markets. Businesses like ours operate across multiple jurisdictions, and a lack of consistency in packaging and recycling regulations can hinder our ability to scale and invest.

But it’s this kind of alignment and consistency we need to see applied to the DRS.

Just as consistent HFSS regulations - governing foods and drinks high in fat, salt, and sugar - reduce complexity and maximise impact, a harmonised DRS across the UK would prevent operational inefficiencies, avoid consumer confusion, and create a level playing field for producers and retailers.

We’ve already seen encouraging progress in this area with the newly announced DMO, which lays the groundwork for a more unified approach.

DEFRA’s calculations estimate that DRS could create more than 4,000 new green jobs and unlock roughly £10 billion investment in recycling infrastructure over the next decade, with £1.13 billion from the private sector.

The appointment of the DMO is a significant step toward delivering a cohesive, efficient DRS that works for businesses, consumers, and the environment alike. However, the success of an initiative of such scale and complexity will ultimately hinge on coherent policy support. 

What do you see as the key enablers of effective cross-sector collaboration?

For me, three things stand out: first, shared goals and a clear sense of purpose; second, trust and transparency; and third, mechanisms for accountability, learning, and sharing best practices.

Partnerships work best when each party can bring their perspectives to the table, and when governance structures ensure all voices are heard and respected, so decisions are legitimate and durable rather than dominated by the loudest or best-resourced player.

When it comes to implementing a DRS, for example, we recognise that the scheme needs to work well for all businesses, including large and small producers and retailers of all sizes. It must also be easy to use and accessible to all consumers. DRS has the potential to drive a transformational shift in the UK's circular economy, but to achieve this, we must ensure that as many people as possible are involved in developing the scheme.

Looking ahead, what are the critical success factors for ensuring that cross-sector partnerships lead to long-term, sustainable growth?

We’re seeing this with the development of a single DRS across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland - a decision that simplifies implementation and gives industry the confidence to invest - and discussions are ongoing around how Wales could align with the rest of the UK on the scope and timescales for the scheme. Because, done effectively, DRS shows what’s possible when government and business work together with a long-term view and a shared commitment to delivery.

Towards a circular future, together

With the appointment of the UK DMO, industry and government have taken a significant step toward delivering one of the most ambitious environmental infrastructure programmes in decades. As producers, retailers, wholesalers and governments align around a shared goal, the focus now shifts towards shaping a circular economy that works for everyone. Realising the full benefits of DRS, from reducing litter and cutting emissions to boosting green jobs and infrastructure, will require bold thinking, inclusive design, clear communication, and close cross-sector collaboration.

This Q&A is part of WIG’s Members’ Perspective series, featuring real-world insights and examples of how the public, private, education, and not-for-profit sectors are tackling shared policy challenges through collaboration and innovation for the UK’s long-term economic growth.

Join us in our upcoming policy dialogue events to engage directly with senior leaders shaping the UK’s net-zero and sustainability agenda.