Scotland’s hospitality industry has warned that a new recycling scheme is in disarray amid a lack of detail about how it will be implemented.
The Scottish Government’s bottle deposit return scheme is scheduled to go live in Scotland in August 2023 after several delays.
Under the scheme, consumers pay a deposit of 20p when they buy a drink in a single-use plastic, glass, steel or aluminium container. They will be able to get back the deposit when they return the container to designated return points.
Hospitality businesses and retailers will also return bottles and cans for recycling.
However, the Sunday Times reports that businesses "remain in the dark" about key elements of how the scheme will operate.
Leon Thompson, executive director at UKHospitality Scotland, said: “There is a complete lack of information on a range of important points.
"For example, businesses will be selling stock that predates the start of the scheme, as well as stock that will be in scope for the scheme. How will businesses and consumers know which container carries a deposit and which doesn’t?
“Circularity Scotland [responsible for operating the deposit scheme] has said there will be no logo for the scheme and that it doesn’t want producers to create their own.”
The Scottish government said: “Circularity Scotland is the industry-led scheme administrator with responsibility for ensuring that the scheme is rolled out successfully.
“It is working with companies across the supply chain, including the hospitality industry, and its members include trade associations such as the British Beer and Pub Association.”