In a letter to the First Minister of Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has joined forces with UK Hospitality, British Glass, Scotch Whisky Association, National Association of Cider-Makers, Society of Independent Brewers and Associates and Environmental Services Association to caution Welsh decision makers that they are set to career towards the same “culde sac” as the failed Scottish DRS if they include glass within the scheme.
The letter comes after news that a dozen Welsh food and drink businesses have already urged the devolved government to avoid chaos by adopting the same DRS as the rest of the UK.
Unlike other schemes launching across the UK, Wales plans to include glass.
In the letter the group warned that without urgent intervention companies will be forced to reduce stock or withdraw from the Welsh market entirely.
“With less than 15 months until the scheme is due to commence, there remains no clear funding mechanism for DRS infrastructure, kerbside collection, or reprocessing, and no Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) has been appointed,” it said.
Last month the WSTA joined other impacted industry bodies at a round table with the new Minister for rural resilience and sustainability together with officials. WSTA said the “overwhelming majority” of representatives present were clear that the scheme, in its current form, threatens environmental goals, adds unnecessary costs to businesses, risks fraud and will result in products being pulled from shop shelves.
Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the WSTA, said: “The WSTA, along with an overwhelmingly aligned food and drinks sector, have repeatedly tried explaining why a scheme without funding and infrastructure is doomed to fail.
“Unfortunately,politics has once again been put in front of common sense and rather than work with industry to make the scheme a success, the blinkers are on and we are heading for yet another fall off the precipice. It appears that no one has learnt lessons from the failed Scottish DRS, and Welsh DRS is headed down the same disastrous path.”
He added: “We have a very short window of time for the new Government to work with industry to develop a scheme that can be delivered and that supports businesses, consumers and the environment.”
