Just a third of businesses are expected to take-up the scheme.
There's fears businesses which don't sign up for the Deposit Return scheme will be subject to frustration from customers.
Just a third of shops are expected to offer money-back services for empty plastic bottles, with the high cost of buying machines being a main factor in the low take-up.
Machines would cost between €13,000 and €100,000 for a shop to buy, while the shop would receive 2 cents for each bottle returned.
Owner of Mulligans Londis in Athlone, and ROI District President for the National Federation of Retail Newsagents, Martin Mulligan, says not signing up could also drive customers away:
Vincent Jennings, CEO of The Convenience Stores & Newsagents Association of Ireland, says 400,000 bottles would need to be returned to break-even:
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