Responding to the Welsh Government launching a consultation on a Welsh Deposit Return Scheme, Andrew Opie, Director of Food and Sustainability at the BRC, said:
Retailers look forward to working with the Welsh Government to deliver a UK-wide deposit return scheme, but do not understand why it is pushing proposals to also include single-use glass containers without a deposit initially.
We welcome the decision to align a scheme for metal and plastic containers, which makes it far more likely a four-nation system can be delivered and represents real progress towards a circular economy. Welsh Ministers deserve credit for listening to businesses and experts on this point.
However, we are not convinced by the current proposals for single-use glass. They risk adding unnecessary costs without delivering clear benefits for consumers or the environment. It would make far more sense to skip past this slightly antiquated approach and separately explore how we can expand the use of reusable glass containers, with industry already proposing a large-scale trial as an alternative. This would allow Wales to be a trailblazer in the circular economy, rather than invest in an outdated and costly approach.
Most importantly, debate around glass must not delay progress on an aligned plastic and metal DRS across all four nations. The best approach is to first focus on delivering that aligned DRS alongside the other three UK nations, and then look strategically at the best solution for glass.
