DRS – Exemptions Yes, Glass No

SGF has welcomed the news that the Scottish government draft Deposit Return Regulations allow for exemptions for smaller retailers. The Federation had been lobbying strongly for exemptions directly with the Scottish government. The exemptions will be based on an agreed set of criteria including proximity to other return points. However, SGF remains strongly and consistently opposed to the inclusion of glass within the scheme.

SGF head of public affairs John Lee said,

The small store exemptions are very welcome – they will provide welcome flexibility for smaller stores and our efforts on this have paid off. The inclusion of glass will be bad for the scheme overall and for convenience stores in particular. Glass is heavy, liable to break and takes up considerable space. It will also drastically reduce the number of stores which can use automated take back. The convenience sector needs a united front on saying no to glass.

The Scottish government is consulting on the draft regulations and a parliamentary scrutiny process will also get underway. The legislative process is intended to be complete by February 2020 with the scheme going live in April 2021. The regulations state that retailers in Scotland will not be permitted to sell products which are not registered as part of the scheme.