Talking Retail Grocery and product news for independent retailers
The conference was organised by the DRS administrator Circularity Scotland to bring businesses across Scotland together and help them plan for what will be one of the biggest environmental infrastructure projects in the UK. Industry representatives at the conference included the Fed, formerly the NFRN.
From August 2023, every single-use drinks container sold in Scotland – plastic bottles, cans or glass – will need a 20p deposit.
This will be refunded to consumers when they take back the container to their local shop or one of tens of thousands of return points across the country.
Zero Waste Scotland estimates that only about 45% of recyclable drinks containers are recycled, with the rest ending up as waste and litter.
The DRS should help 90% of all drinks containers to be recycled, preventing billions of bottles and cans being dumped each year.
David Harris, chief executive of Circularity Scotland, said: “With just under a year to go until the deposit return scheme goes live, we are calling for businesses across Scotland to join us in making sure the scheme is a success.
“We know businesses have concerns about how the scheme will operate and how it will affect them – and we have heard from many of those over the last two days.
“But that’s exactly why we held this conference – to create a forum for all those who will be involved in delivering the scheme to get the information they need.
“Ultimately, by bringing businesses toget, er and creating more opportunities to collaborate we can achieve what we all want: to reduce waste and protect Scotland’s environment for generations to come.”
The conference featured a keynote speech from Lorna Slater MSP, the minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, who is responsible for introducing the scheme.
Slater reiterated that there would be no delay to introducing the scheme, which she stressed was a key part of the Scottish government’s work in meeting its climate commitments.
She stressed that the Scottish government was “listening and responding to industry concerns”, demonstrated by the recently announced streamlining of the exemption process for retailers who did not wish to act as return points.#
The minister also told attendees to expect further announcements to address industry concerns around online take-back and said the government would work with industry to ensure a “pragmatic” approach.
Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, said: “Our members are united in their commitment to reducing waste and increasing recycling and support the introduction of a well-designed deposit return scheme across the UK.
“While there are more challenges to overcome and questions that remain for producers, bringing industry together in this way is crucial as we build towards the scheme going live next year.”
The Fed’s national deputy vice president Shahid “Mo” Razzaq, a convenience retailer in Glasgow, said: “Retailers like us will be at the forefront of the deposit return scheme, providing thousands of return points in every corner of Scotland where consumers will be able to take back their bottles and cans.
“Delivering this is complex and presents different obstacles for retailers of all different sizes.
“But being able to speak to experts and other businesses helps us understand what is required and allows us to plan effectively for the future.”
