BUSINESS owners and representatives from across the Scottish hospitality and drinks industries have signed an open letter to economy minister Lorna Slater, calling on her to postpone the upcoming Deposit Return Scheme.
The scheme, due to launch in August 2023, will require hospitality businesses to return any empty drinks containers for recycling.
Bars, pubs and restaurants will be required to pay a 20p deposit for any glass, metal or plastic can or bottle purchased from a supplier, with the scheme administrator then paying the business 20p for every bottle or can it collects.
Venues which sell alcohol for consumption off the premises will also have to operate a “return point” for members of the public to return their used containers.
The letter to Ms Slater warns of the “impending catastrophic impact the scheme will impose on both businesses and consumers” and calls for a “collaborative effort between industry and the Scottish Government to design a sustainable system that will function successfully for producers, hospitality businesses and consumers”.
The letter was organised by whisky consultant Blair Bowman and has over 500 signatures from industry representatives including Donald MacLeod, owner of Glasgow nightclubs The Cathouse and The Garage; Cru Holdings managing director, Scott Murray; Cawley Hotels & Restaurants managing director, Alan Cawley; and Graeme Arnott of Caledonian Heritable.
“If we’re to avoid the catastrophic impact of the DRS then Lorna Slater needs to press pause now, and meet with our industries and the UK Government to come up with a sustainable solution that will benefit people and the planet,” said Bowman.
Scottish Tourism Alliance chief executive, Marc Crothall, who also signed the letter, said introducing the scheme in its current form “could be the death knell for many tourism and hospitality businesses and small retailers too, which are the lifeblood of Scotland’s economy, especially in rural and remote areas”.
“Introducing the scheme to all types of business in the height of summer season after two years of extremely tough trading following Brexit and Covid – not to mention rising energy prices triggering both the cost of living and cost of trading crises – makes no sense at all and does nothing to help support business as they try to recover.
“Every serious operator in the hospitality and tourism industry wants Scotland to hit its 2045 net-zero target because it will help to protect our beautiful nation, but that’s no excuse for short rushing through poorly thought-out legislation and untimely implementation,” said Crothall.
“To that end we would hope and urge that every due consideration is given by government for a sensible phased approach to its introduction allowing business time to prepare and comply, with due consideration being given to all the many concerns that the industry is highlighting in respect of cost, timing and getting the scheme running in the most efficient, cost effective and impactful way possible.”
