Danone, Exchange for Change, and the All England Lawn Tennis Club piloted reverse vending machines for evian water bottles at the Wimbledon Championship Qualifying Competition – testing their logistics ahead of the UK’s deposit return scheme rollout in 2027.
Exchange for Change is the official operator of the UK’s deposit return scheme for single-use plastic and metal drinks containers. With the DRS set to roll out next year, the pilot was intended to test how reverse vending machines would operate in a live event setting.
Wimbledon’s Championships Qualifying Competition took place from Monday 22 June to Thursday 25 June at the Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Centre in Roehampton, southwest London.
During the event, spectators could purchase 75cl plastic bottles of evian water on-site. According to Danone, every evian bottle is made from 100% rPET, excluding the label and cap.
Each bottle factored a 20p (€0.23) deposit into its price – the same deposit as the UK’s deposit return scheme will use when it launches. Once it was empty, consumers could return it via one of two collection points located across the site.
Not only was this approach expected to increase recycling rates at the event, but it was hoped to provide insights into the consumer experience and inform the implementation of a nationwide deposit return scheme.
All deposits collected through the pilot were reportedly donated to the Wimbledon Foundation, which supports a range of local and national community projects.
Hattie Park, senior sustainability manager at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, commented: “At Wimbledon, we are always looking for thoughtful ways to build on our traditions while taking practical steps towards a more sustainable future. We’re delighted to be part of this important pilot together with our long-standing Official Partner, evian.
“This initiative gives guests at The Championships Qualifying Competition an early experience of reverse vending machines as well as offering valuable insights to support the national rollout of the scheme. Deposits donated by guests through the machine will support our charity, the Wimbledon Foundation, and we are very grateful to everyone taking part in this initiative.”
“As Danone celebrates the bicentenary of its iconic evian brand, we continue to focus on offering healthy hydration in the most sustainable way,” continued Hannah Cornick, Danone North Europe Sustainability and Social Impact director. “Circularity is a core commitment of our Impact Journey strategy, and we are proud to support The All England Lawn Tennis Club and Exchange for Change in delivering this first-of-its-kind pilot ahead of the UK Deposit Return Scheme’s national rollout next year.
“This initiative allows us to gather tangible feedback to support retailers and Exchange for Change in preparing for DRS, while demonstrating how circular systems can work effectively in practice.”
“We are excited to see this pilot go live at such an iconic event,” added Kate McFerran, corporate affairs director at Exchange for Change. “The Deposit Return Scheme is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a significant and long-lasting shift in the UK’s recycling behaviour.
“The insights gained from this pilot, as well as others taking place over the coming months, will help ensure the Scheme is designed to be as efficient and consumer friendly as possible so we can all play our part in removing litter from our environment and building a stronger circular economy.”
Once implemented, the UK’s deposit return scheme will apply to all PET bottles, as well as aluminium and steel drinks cans, between 150ml and 3L. Other return options will also be available, such as manual takeback.
Wimbledon has been the testing ground for various reuse solutions. In previous years, it has implemented refillable hydration stations for players and spectators; these initiatives were anticipated to encourage reuse behaviours, both on and off the court.
In 2025, Wimbledon reports that approximately 40,000 refills were dispensed during the Championships. A spectator survey conducted by evian also revealed that 54% of respondents who took part in the scheme continued to refill their bottles at home.
Barclays, the Official Banking Partner of The Championships, has also joined forces with CLUBZERØ to serve refreshments in reusable containers – ranging from free juice in reusable cups as spectators enter the grounds, to ice cream in returnable pots in the Game, Seat, Match Area.
In other news, FIFA’s beverage container policy sparked controversy in the lead-up to the World Cup 2026. Just one week before the first match kicked off, and after previous reports that spectators would be permitted to bring one factory-sealed water bottle into the stadium, FIFA updated its Code of Conduct to place a blanket ban on reusable bottles.
Fans raised concerns about spectator safety when several matches were set to take place in temperatures exceeding 26°C. Some speculated that the decision was motivated by FIFA’s long-term partnership with Coca-Cola, as attendees would be forced to buy single-use bottles of Dasani water on-site.
Days later, FIFA amended its guidelines to permit one soft, plastic, disposable, factory-sealed water bottle up to 590ml per spectator. While some responses understood the move as a precaution to prevent injury if bottles were thrown, others questioned whether fans making long commutes to the stadiums would stay suitably hydrated – and whether FIFA’s decision truly aligned with its World Cup 2026 Sustainability Strategy.
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