ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has called on Ministers and MPs to ensure that plans to introduce a deposit return scheme in England and Wales are workable for small shops.
In a briefing to MPs and a letter to Theresa Villers MP, Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, ahead of a debate on the Environment Bill on Monday, ACS raised convenience retailers’ concerns with the operation of a deposit return scheme, and highlighted serious problems with the manual handling of containers, including safety concerns for staff, health and safety implications for retailers that sell fresh food on the premises, and additional queueing time and confusion for customers.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Measures included in the Environment Bill, in particular the introduction of a deposit return scheme, will place considerable and unnecessary burdens on small shops. These can be avoided by designing an effective scheme that doesn’t mandate every retailer to take back dirty packaging, and which directs all returns through reverse vending machines rather than over the counter.”
The briefing to MPs explained that the a deposit return scheme in England and Wales should contain the following elements to ensure it is workable for retailers:
- The network of return points should be strategically mapped, instead of requiring all retailers to have return facilities
- Stores that are smaller than 280 sq m should be exempt from the scheme due to the additional pressure on space, with an option to opt-in if they do want to participate.
- Used dirty containers should be returned only through reverse vending machines rather than over the counter.
- Glass should be excluded from the scheme due to the additional infrastructure required and health and safety issues for staff
ACS briefed MPs ahead of the second reading of the Environment Bill, which was first announced at the Queen’s Speech earlier this month.
ACS’ submission to DEFRA on early proposals for the introduction of a deposit return scheme in England and Wales is available here.
