Special Olympics GB athletes are helping test the accessibility of the UK’s future Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) during the National Summer Games in Birmingham from 27 to 30 August.

The trial, delivered by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), Exchange for Change and Special Olympics GB, will see athletes with intellectual disabilities, alongside spectators and supporters, use Reverse Vending Machines and interact with DRS messaging in a real-world setting.

Special Olympics GB chief executive Laura Baxter said: “People with intellectual disabilities are too often overlooked when services and systems are designed, then expected to adapt to something that was never created with them in mind. This trial turns that approach on its head.

“Our athletes will be helping to test and shape a scheme that millions of people will use. That is inclusion in action: recognising people with intellectual disabilities not simply as participants, but as experts whose experiences and ideas can make things work better for everyone.”

The initiative aims to gather feedback on the clarity of instructions and identify potential barriers, with the research’s findings to inform accessibility guidance ahead of the scheme’s planned launch in October 2027.

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Exchange for Change CEO Russell Davies commented: “We’re committed to ensuring the Deposit Return Scheme is designed to be accessible for everyone from day one, helping deliver improvements in recycling and reducing litter in communities.

“This trial gives us the opportunity to learn how people interact with Reverse Vending Machines in a real-world environment and gather valuable insights that will help inform future accessibility guidance.”

CCEP added it will also donate 20p to Special Olympics GB for every eligible drinks container returned through the machines during the Games.

“The best way to design an effective Deposit Return Scheme is to listen to the people who will use it,” added Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB senior sustainability manager Jo Padwick.

“This trial gives us a chance to see how people use Reverse Vending Machines during a busy event, understand what works well and what could work better, and use those learnings to help shape a more accessible scheme when it launches in 2027.”

Earlier this week, Co-op and Co-op Media Network was named as the official sponsors of the Special Olympics Great Britain National Summer Games 2026, alongside Coca-Cola.