THE RETAIL BULLETIN - The home of retail news
Home Page
News Categories
Christmas Ads
Commentary
Department Stores
Electricals & Technology
Entertainment
Fashion
Food & Drink
General Merchandise
Grocery
Health & Beauty
Home & DIY
Interviews
People Matter
Property
Retail Business Strategy
Retail News
Retail Solutions
Shopping Centres, High Streets & Retail Parks
Sports & Leisure
Retail Events
People in Retail Awards 2023
Omnichannel Futures 2023
Retail HR Central
Digital Transformation Strategy 2023
Retail Marketplace Strategy
Retail HR 2023
THE Retail Conference 2023
Customer Engagement Strategy 2023
Upcoming Retail Events
Past Retail Events
Retail Insights
Retail Solutions
Advertise
About
Contact
Subscribe for free
Terms and Policies
Privacy Policy
Retailers call on PM to overhaul £2bn waste recycling scheme

The UK’s largest retailers are urging the government to scrap its waste strategy policy, or risk forcing prices up for consumers who are already facing a cost of… View Article

FOOD & DRINK

Retailers call on PM to overhaul £2bn waste recycling scheme

The UK’s largest retailers are urging the government to scrap its waste strategy policy, or risk forcing prices up for consumers who are already facing a cost of living crisis.

In a draft letter from the British Retail Consortium, obtained by Sky News, the group of retailers outline industry concerns about the costs associated with the proposed new packaging and bottle recycling measures due to come into force in 2024.

The letter urges the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to intervene with the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to “redesign a deposit return scheme that is close to being introduced in Scotland and would subsequently be extended south of the border”.

An excerpt shows industry bodies pleading with the PM to adopt “a more pragmatic approach” to the government’s waste strategy.

Currently, deposit return schemes are used across the world as a way of encouraging more people to recycle drinks containers, such as bottles and cans.

They charge anyone who buys a drink a small deposit for the bottle or can that it comes in.

In Scotland, the new scheme which is set to be introduced in August, will see people pay a 20p deposit when they buy a drink that comes in a single-use container made of PET plastic, steel and aluminium, or glass.

Consumers will get their money back when they return the empty container return points which will be set up across the country.

“The current policy proposal will add to inflationary pressures and fail to deliver a fit for purpose scheme,” the draft letter, which is rumoured to be signed by retail bosses of major UK supermarkets, read.

“It will significantly increase the costs of packaging which, in the current economic climate, will increase prices for consumers, without seeing the desired increase in recycling,” the plea continued.

The industry body also warned that the return scheme will add another £2bn to industry costs.

In the draft letter the BRC said: “We would also ask you to raise our concerns on the design of DRS with Defra, where we have struggled to convince ministers of the need for pragmatic implementation that works with the businesses which will deliver it.

 

Email this article to a friend

You need to be logged in to use this feature.

Please log in here

Subscribe For Retail News