A group of UK industry bodies have urged the Welsh government to remove glass from its own deposit-return scheme.
In a letter yesterday (15 July), trade associations including the WSTA and SWA, cautioned the Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth around the inclusion of glass in its DRS plans.
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In February, industry bodies warned suppliers will stop selling in Wales once the DRS, which, unlike the rest of the UK, will include glass, is introduced next year.
The UK signed off the country’s plans to include glass in their DRS scheme that month and in March, the Welsh Senedd voted in favour of its DRS plan.
Industry representatives said in February that stock will have to be identified either as ‘not for sale in Wales’ or ‘for sale in Wales only’ to avoid paying environmental charges applicable in the rest of the UK.
At the time, they suggested more than nine in ten products on sale in Wales could be withdrawn from the market, pointing to surveys conducted by The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA).
In this week’s letter, the trade associations echoed these points, and warned that including glass in the Welsh DRS, “will damage trade and investment” in the country.
“Wine and spirits alone account for approximately 70% of in-scope container glass. A unique, Wales-only glass DRS creates a trade barrier within the UK, undermines supply chains including retail and hospitality, and incentivises fraud,” the letter read.
“Companies will need to produce Wales only labels – which is commercially unviable for most SMEs or imported produce. Without urgent intervention, obligated companies will be forced to reduce stock or withdraw from the Welsh market entirely, having a direct impact on produce availability on shelves and in bars and restaurants. We wish to work with your government to avoid this damaging outcome.”
Wales decided to exit the UK-wide DRS two years ago to create a scheme that allowed all drinks containers to be reused, including glass.
The associations, which also include the national cider association NACM, added in their letter this week that with the scheme due to come into play in under 15 months, “there remains no clear funding mechanism for DRS infrastructure, kerbside collection, or reprocessing, and no Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) has been appointed”.
They added: “These impacts will be felt from day one of the scheme – the four-year transition period for glass does not work in practice.”
The letter further stressed: “We urge you to align with the rest of the UK by removing glass from the Welsh scheme and associated regulations in full and appointing a DMO as a matter of urgency.”
