SWA joins call for DRS grace period for small producers

By Tony Corbin in Industry News 6th February 2023

Scotland’s thousands of small producers lack the financial resources and capacity to meet the current deadlines for the deposit return scheme (DRS) according to a group of trade associations.

The Scottish Wholesale Association, along with the Society of Independent Brewers, the Wine and Spirits Association, the Scotch Whisky Association and Scotland Food & Drink warn that without urgent changes by the Scottish Government to give small producers a legal grace period, where small producers can opt into the scheme, many products will no longer be available in Scotland from 16 August and prices will substantially increase.

In an open letter to minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity, Lorna Slater, the trade groups highlight the continued lack of clarity on how the scheme will work and the action that small producers need to take to prepare.

The government’s own Gateway Review last year found that producers needed 12 to 24 months to prepare once “meaningful decisions” have been reached, yet these are still not known with only a few weeks left to register with the scheme administrator ahead of the legal deadline on 28 February.

The letter signed by the group calls on Slater to amend the rules for online takeback.

The SWA believes this provides a window of opportunity to agree and formalise a statutory grace period small producers and importers of small amounts of particular brands they need while ensuring that the DRS is launched on time with the vast majority of containers included.

The minister recently agreed to reopen the regulations and this provides a window of opportunity to agree and formalise the legal support they need whilst ensuring that DRS is launched on time with the vast majority of containers included.

In a joint statement, the trade associations said: “There are now only a few weeks left to save thousands of small producers that will be banned from selling bottles and cans in Scotland from August. They lack the finances and resources to meet the scheme’s requirements on time and need an 18-month legal grace period in the regulations and the option to opt in.

“Without this certainty it’s likely that consumers will lose out through reduced consumer choice and increased prices.”