The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has welcomed the
Government’s plans to guarantee the strategic placement of return
points in its proposed deposit return scheme for England, Wales
and Northern Ireland.
The new scheme, which is intended to come into force in October
2025, aims to significantly reduce the number of bottles, cans
and other materials in scope being thrown away, with a target of
85% litter reduction in the three years after the scheme is
introduced.
The materials in scope of the scheme will differ slightly
depending on which country you are in. For England and Northern
Ireland, PET bottles, steel and aluminium cans are included in
the scheme, while in Wales glass is also included. In all
countries, the scheme will include containers ranging in size
from 50ml to 3 litres.
The value of the deposit will be set by a yet to be appointment
Deposit Management Organisation (DMO). In the Government’s
consultation response, it is made clear that the DMO will be
‘obligated to consider the strategic placement of return points,
to ensure an accessible and comprehensive network of return
points.’
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We welcome the
Government’s ambition to introduce a workable deposit return
scheme for retailers, consumers and the wider industry. It is
essential that the scheme is inter-operable across the UK, and we
must learn the lessons from the introduction of the Scottish DRS
to ensure that the scheme in England, Wales and NI is both
effective and sustainable. The Government’s timeline of 2025 is
ambitious given the planned appointment of a Deposit Management
Organisation in 2024, but we are committed to working with the
Government, retailers and suppliers to introduce a scheme that
works for everyone.”
Scotland is set to introduce its deposit return scheme in August
this year, with a deposit amount set at 20p and both manual
returns and reverse vending machines being used to deliver the
scheme.
The Government’s full consultation response is available here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1130296/DRS_Government_response_Jan_2023.pdf
