Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) has been a “bonfire of chaos” which was “absolute insanity for consumers”, the founder of Innis and Gunn has said.
Dougal Sharp hit out at the Scottish Government's recycling scheme on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, stating: “Businesses are reeling with uncertainty, and no one knows where to look next for answers; it’s a shambles.”
Under plans outlined for Scotland, shoppers would pay a 20p deposit every time they buy a drink in a can or bottle, with that money refunded to them when the empty containers are returned for recycling.
But the future of the scheme was brought into doubt by the Scottish Government after the UK Government allowed it to go ahead, but without glass bottles in the scheme.
First Minister Humza Yousaf has said it could be scrapped unless the UK Government does not reverse its decision to exclude glass from the plans.
Scotland’s DRS is due to begin in March 2024, with the earlier start date forcing ministers to seek an exemption from UK-wide legislation which aims to ensure there are no trade barriers between the four nations.
Sharp said claims the scheme is ready to go were “utter nonsense”, adding: “I have lived and breathed this, and its evolution, for years, and I think if you talk to any of the major businesses based in Scotland - either retailers or producers - nobody actually believes that this scheme is ready to go.
“It wasn’t ready to go in August, it certainly won’t be ready to go in March next year, because there are hundreds of unanswered questions as to how this is going to work in practice.”
Sharp said that whether glass is included or not, the “price that this is going to force on to consumers is going to be significant”, with “£20, £30, £40 extra on your shopping bill every week”, of which customers would not get all of it back.
He added: “Whether or not Westminster’s intervention is helpful or unhelpful, as it stands or as it was drafted, the scheme is absolute insanity for consumers and, actually, will lead to potentially less recycling rather than more in Scotland, which I find absurd.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat climate spokesperson Liam McArthur commented: “Businesses are being completely messed around by a government that seems to have been hellbent on making a pig’s ear of a good idea.
“Given the confusion and uncertainty that reigns, businesses need both Scotland’s governments to start acting like the adults in the room and agree a way forward - sadly, we seem to be a million miles away from that right now.”
Last week, the UK Government agreed the temporary extension from the Internal Market Act (IMA), but insisted the Scottish scheme cannot include glass so it matches the initiative in England, which is due to begin in 2025.
Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has said he would dispute the use of the IMA to stop the Scottish Government including glass in its DRS.
Speaking to BBC Scotland, he said if the internal markets act is invoked for the purpose of removing glass from the Scottish Deposit Return Scheme there would be “very serious questions”.
There has been speculation that Wales, which had intended to go ahead with its DRS, which includes glass, will no longer be able to do this, after the UK Government stepped in to say the Scottish Government could not have glass.
Drakeford said he is “considering the implications” of the decision for the Welsh Government.
He told the BBC: “We are considering the implications for our scheme, which includes glass and always did.
“It was part of the consultation we held with the NI executive and the UK Government.
“At the moment, glass is in our scheme and that’s the way we expect it to stay.
“We jointly published a document with the UK Government in which they recognised that while they had decided not to include glass, we had and they signed that document with us.
“I would dispute the use of the IMA for these purposes and if they were to invoke it, there would be very serious questions for the UK Government.
“Why so late in the day?
“Why are they doing this now when right up until now they have recognised the fact that we were going to include glass, because that’s what the consultation said we would do?
“The English Government is the outlier here.
“The questions are for them and, of course, we will have to explore that should that be their decision.
“It’s a great shame the UK Government in its English capacity didn’t recognise that because we would have acted as Scotland did, and then they would have had the certainty and continuity they say business needs.”
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