# After we revealed that the firm behind Re-turn scheme is expecting €330million in income by the end of 2031, now it emerges Green minister said deposit on bottles and cans could be lowered to prevent company’s profits from rocketing

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/after-we-revealed-that-the-firm-behind-re-turn-scheme-is-expecting-e330million-in-income-by-the-end-of-2031-now-it-emerges-green-minister-said-deposit-on-bottles-and-cans-could-be-lowered-to-prevent/
- Published: 2026-11-03T21:56:56+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-03T22:04:23+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16263257/After-revealed-firm-turn-scheme-expecting-330million-income-end-2031-emerges-Green-minister-said-deposit-bottles-cans-lowered-prevent-companys-profits-rocketing.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Business, Companies, Government, Politics, Space, Technology, World

## Key points

- Smyth said deposits could be cut if the scheme made too much money.
- Re-turn forecasts €330 million from unclaimed deposits by 2031.
- Calls for reform include better return options and lower consumer deposits.

## Summary

Ossian Smyth, the former minister who introduced Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme, said deposits on bottles and cans could be lowered if the scheme was generating too much money. His comments have renewed calls to reform the scheme after projections showed its operator, Re-turn, expects substantial income and profits from deposits that consumers do not reclaim.

The scheme began in February 2024, charging a refundable 15 or 25 cents on eligible containers. Re-turn’s projections put income from unclaimed deposits at €330 million and cumulative after-tax profits at €121 million by the end of 2031; unredeemed deposits brought in €61.2 million in 2025, when the return rate was 77%. Smyth also called for supermarkets to accept containers when machines break down, bulk-return machines at recycling centres and powers for councils to fine businesses using ineligible imported cans.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.