The UK Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) is calling on the Welsh Government to rethink its plans to create a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) that includes glass drinks containers.
Wales launched a 12-week consultation period on the proposed DRS today (19 August) which runs until 10 November.
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The country decided to exit the UK-wide DRS in November last year as it looked to create a scheme that enabled all drinks containers to be reused, including glass.
In July, it then announced intentions to bring its plan to launch a DRS in line with the rest of the UK. It noted however that glass would remain a part of the country’s scheme.
While Wales already has a kerbside glass collection system for glass drinks containers, the WSTA said the introduction of the new proposed DRS plans will mean “this efficiency will be lost”.
“Without a deposit from day one, consumers will have little incentive to transport glass bottles to retailers. This muddled policy proposal is likely to reduce collection rates, raise emissions and increase costs for already-stretched hospitality businesses, retailers and ultimately Welsh consumers.”
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By GlobalDataWales intends to bring its unique DRS scheme into play in October 2027.
The UK’s DRS is also due to come into force that same year. The system will see consumers pay a small fee when purchasing bottles or cans. The money is refunded when containers are returned to a designated collection point.
The scheme will apply to PET plastic, steel and aluminum drinks containers throughout the UK.
The WSTA added that Wales’ DRS plans could also result in market disruption across the UK, with products due for sale in Wales likely needing unique labels, tracking and separation, which could increase costs or decrease the level of consumer choice.
Wales’ DRS scheme also brings about “added complications and expenses across the supply chain”, WSTA said, with reverse vending machines use to collect empty bottles typically breaking glass and making it less appropriate for remelting into new bottles or jars.
The move, the association said, will also see hospitality businesses having to store glass on premise, while retailers won’t have details they need around how the scheme is funded or how that allow long-term infrastructure investment.
The trade body has called on the Welsh government to align its DRS proposals with the rest of the UK, take “an evidence-based approach” for the scheme and work alongside wine and spirits producers to assess reuse and “realistic timeframes”.
It has also asked the government to support recycling and manufacturing of glass, and stave off “unnecessary substitution to other materials”.
Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA described Wales’ proposed unique DRS as “concerning and creating new and significant market distortions”.
“We believe this new approach, which lacks clarity as to how it is funded, would not only fail to improve on current high collection rates, but will also add unnecessary costs for Welsh businesses and consumers.”
Beale added: “We strongly urge the Welsh Government to align its plans with the rest of the UK, to ensure a single, less costly, more efficient and environmentally effective scheme.”.
