For Pivot’s client, a global leader in the beverage industry, the objective was clear. It needed to achieve compliance with new environmental legislation. More than that, it wanted to build a scalable digital foundation for future Deposit Return and Extended Producer Responsibility schemes across Europe.
Chris Chittock, Pivot’s MD said: “The stakes were high. Time was short. Not meeting the DRS deadline would mean lost sales of hundreds of thousands per day, potential delisting’s from hard-won shelf space, and significant reputational damage as well as fines. However, SAP demands comprehensive quality data which we could quickly leverage and adapt with our industry and legislative experience. It’s a great example of stay standard so you can quickly deliver a true end-to-end process from producer to end-consumer. SAP’s business data will be increasingly critical in the world of AI and future digital compliance.”
Working across four countries, with business users in Ireland, finance in the UK, and technical teams in France and Spain, the project demanded discipline, transparency, and precise stakeholder alignment.
It was delivered in 12 weeks. The result was a flawless go-live with zero post-launch issues. It provided this global leader in the beverage industry with a future-ready compliance asset built for a circular economy. Pivot managed to turn regulatory complexity into operational clarity.
With the UK’s own Deposit Return Scheme due to launch in October 2027, this Ireland success story offers a proven blueprint.
The Challenge: Complexity Meets Hard Deadline
Pivot’s client had a significant soft drinks presence in the Republic of Ireland through various household brands.
When Ireland introduced its Deposit Return Scheme, the company had to comply with a system that required producers to charge deposits to customers and pay fees to an administrator based on production volumes.
Pivot engaged with the beverage company around April 2023, with the project underway by June and a hard February 1st 2024 go-live date.
Standard SAP and Stakeholder Engagement
Pivot designed and implemented an SAP-based solution that calculated, accounted for, and reported scheme-related deposits and fees.
The solution required master data tables, new pricing conditions, and new balance sheet and profit and loss accounts. It needed updates to customer invoices, and data extraction from ECC and forecasting systems into Business Warehouse to help deliver reports required by the authorities.
Distributed Teams, Disciplined Delivery
The technical solution was only part of the story. Stakeholder engagement was crucial to success. But those stakeholders lived in many countries.
The Irish business team were in Ireland. The finance team were in the UK, functional teams in France, and technical teams in Spain. Pivot had to deliver the entire project remotely.
The distributed nature of the team demanded discipline.
“Getting the different stakeholders engaged was key. Particularly the business and technical teams. They have got to live with the solution and be able to adapt it as the legislation evolves further,” said Pivot’s project manager.
At project completion, Pivot provided formal documentation and a structured handover to the company’s operations team.
Flawless Go-Live and Scalable Foundation
On February 1st 2024, the Deposit Return Scheme solution went live with zero issues. The company avoided reputational damage, prevented lost sales, and gained product-by-product visibility of DRS fees. They were very pleased with the results. Beyond immediate compliance, Pivot delivered an asset that the beverage company could roll out as more countries deployed Deposit Return Schemes. After six months of Ireland’s scheme, customers had returned over 500 million containers. The system had become part of shoppers’ daily routines.
Lessons for UK Companies Facing the 2027 Deadline
The UK’s Deposit Return Scheme launches in October 2027. Pivot’s project manager offered clear advice for companies preparing for compliance.
“Don’t put yourself under pressure,” he said. “Start earlier than you think.”
For UK companies, the message is clear. Deposit return scheme compliance requires early planning, the right partner, and a proven approach. Pivot’s Ireland experience provides that foundation.
The clock is ticking toward October 2027. Companies that start planning now will be ready.
Client names have been removed to maintain confidentiality
