The idea harkens back to practices of many years ago whereby various packaging for drinks would be returned by consumers for refund of deposits. While a Swiss study found that the "scheme" had reduced carbon emissions by half a million tons, it was also "rated among the most expensive measures for carbon dioxide abatement," In Germany, the scheme is in effect. In Britain, the government declined to implement the scheme. That country's environment minister says, "Deposit and return schemes died out in this country because they did not make financial sense." They still don't, according to the minister. Consumers are already adopting recycling practices in the UK, and the deposit scheme would just over-complicate environmental practices already in place.
Source: www.packagingnews.co.uk