A recycling firm in charge of Scotland's controversial deposit return scheme was not warned in advance of Humza Yousaf's decision to delay it.
Scots faced being charged a 20p deposit for every single-use drinks can or bottle they purchase from August 16 onwards in a bid to reduce waste.
But the Scottish Government this week announced the scheme would be delayed a further six months following a massive backlash from small businesses.
Donald McCalman, programme director for Circularity Scotland, said the delay came because not enough firms are ready to deliver the “fantastic consumer experience” needed.
Yousaf announced on Tuesday another delay to the introduction of the deposit return scheme (DRS) from this August to March next year.
It came as part of the new First Minister's bid to "reset" the relationship between Holyrood and businesses across the country.
Yousaf acknowledged the scheme had led to concern among many in the business community and said the UK Government’s decision not to grant an exemption under the Internal Market Act had caused uncertainty.
The DRS will mean customers pay a 20p deposit on drinks in cans and bottles which will be paid back when the containers are returned.
Asked when he found out about the delay, McCalman told BBC Radio Scotland it was “the same time as everybody else” on Tuesday.
Circularity Scotland is a not-for-profit company set up to administer the scheme and will be responsible for its smooth operation, with Biffa handling logistics.
McCalman stressed the importance of consumers having a simple experience when the DRS launches, saying: “As far as I can understand from what the First Minister has said on Tuesday, not enough organisations are going to be ready to have that fantastic consumer experience.
“Some of that possibly caused by, as he said, some of the uncertainties that still exist.
“Uncertainty causes some businesses to say ‘you know what, maybe I need to start thinking differently about how I’m deploying my resources’.
“That’s entirely up to those organisations to take that view.”
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