Amenity Value Benefits of a Deposit Return Scheme for Drinks Containers

plastic litter on a lakeside

Title: Amenity Value Benefits of a Deposit Return Scheme for Drinks Containers

Client: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Year: 2021

Service area(s): economic valuation   

Country/Region: UK

eftec team: Allan Provins, Jake Kuyer, Francesco Cherchi

About the project

This study was commissioned to support Defra’ policy analysis of options for a deposit return scheme for drinks containers. It estimated the economic benefit of reductions in the impacts from litter, including visual disamenity, distress and upset to local residents, pest and vermin, potential harm to wildlife, and long-term effects to the environment (e.g. marine plastics).   

We used stated preference methods to capture the general public’s preferences for reducing litter, across different location types and levels of accumulation. Impacts were described verbally and depicted visually using photo-manipulation.   

Results from the study are a key part of the economic evidence applied in Defra's Impact Assessment for the introduction of a deposit return scheme for beverage containers.

Client feedback:

“We found that Eftec were very professional in their approach and had a good understanding of the nature of the issues being addressed.”

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), 2020

Click here to access the report