Retailer Community
How DRS Handling Fees Work
A handling fee is the payment made to retailers for accepting, storing and preparing drink containers for collection.
Costs and revenue
What is a handling fee?
A handling fee is the payment made to retailers for accepting, storing and preparing drink containers for collection.
It is separate from the deposit, which is always returned to the consumer.
Why do retailers receive it?
Because operating a return point costs money.
Handling fees help cover:
- Staff time
- Storage space
- Consumables
- Collections
- Administration
Who pays it?
The Scheme Administrator.
Not the customer.
Not the drinks producer directly.
What affects the fee?
- Type of return point
- Manual or automated
- Collection method
- Operational costs
Keep reading
- How Much Revenue Could Your Store Earn?Retailers operating return points may receive a handling fee for every eligible container they accept and process. What your store earns depends on the fee and the volumes you handle.
- The Hidden Cost of Manual ReturnsAt first glance, accepting containers manually may appear to be the simplest and least expensive way to operate a return point.