Vale of Clwyd Senedd Member and Welsh Conservative spokesperson for hospitality, Gareth Davies, has called for a statement from the Welsh Government on its proposed Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), warning that plans to include glass could impose significant costs on businesses and people across Wales.
During today’s Business Statement and Announcement in the Senedd, Mr Davies said he supported the principle of a DRS to increase recycling and reduce litter but raised serious concerns about the Welsh Government’s decision to diverge from the rest of the UK by including glass in the scheme.
He echoed comments from industry leaders that a lack of alignment with schemes in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland risks creating unnecessary complexity, significantly higher costs and logistical challenges for producers and retailers operating across borders, all of which will drive up costs for consumers and hit people’s pockets.
Mr Davies also highlighted concerns about the proposed four-year transition period, during which businesses will be required to fund infrastructure for glass return points despite no deposit being applied to glass containers, and he asked the Welsh Government to outline what assessment they have conducted regarding the scheme’s impact on the industry. He questioned the rationale behind mandating the inclusion of glass without providing any financial incentive for consumers to return containers during that period, while still placing the cost burden on industry.
The Welsh Government’s Trefnydd responded by saying the “Welsh Labour Government is proud that we have led the way for years in recycling” and that the Welsh Government “want to do even better, and the way to do that is with a Deposit Return Scheme that we have developed in Wales.”
She outlined the Welsh Government’s view that the phased introduction of glass will “ensure that the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme can deliver benefits for Wales and work alongside other parts of the UK.”
Following the exchange, Gareth Davies MS said:
“The Welsh Government’s decision to go it alone on glass feels like being different just for the sake of it, and I am disappointed they have not been prepared to clearly explain the rationale behind this approach.
“It’s equally concerning that they have not set out any proper assessment of the impact this will have on businesses and Welsh people, particularly when the industry faces the prospect of funding costly at a time when many pubs, brewers, and hospitality businesses are already under immense pressure.
“If the Welsh Government is serious about supporting businesses, delivering an effective scheme, and keeping costs down for the consumer, it should drop its plans to include glass and align the Deposit Return Scheme with the rest of the UK.”
