British Glass has submitted its formal response to the Welsh Government’s consultation on the proposed Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), raising serious concerns about the impact of the current proposals on products packaged in glass, Welsh consumers and the wider UK market.
While British Glass supports the ambition to improve recycling and transition towards a Circular Economy, it warns that the unilateral inclusion of glass beverage containers in the Welsh DRS, particularly with a proposed 0p deposit until 2030, risks undermining both environmental and economic outcomes.
British Glass warns the proposed scheme could lead to:
- Increased costs for glass packaging due to underutilised away from home collection infrastructure, including reverse vending machines.
- No income from unredeemed deposits meaning increased costs for glass packaging, adding financial pressure on producers while limiting funds for effective collection and recycling.
- Market fragmentation across the UK, risking a reduction in products available to Welsh consumers due to added complexity and cost.
- Consumer confusion, especially around interoperability with schemes in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The response calls for:
- A full impact assessment before implementing a 0p deposit for glass packaging.
- Application for market exemption in the context of the UK’s Internal Market Act (IMA) at the earliest opportunity, ensuring all UK DRS are interoperable and aligned to avoid trade barriers and deliver consistency for producers across the UK.
- Greater focus on reuse infrastructure development, particularly in the hospitality sector (HORECA), before setting targets.
- Glass beverage packaging to be exempt from pEPR costs in Wales, should glass be included the Welsh recycling DRS.
- Prioritisation of products suitable for reuse systems, e.g. products like wine and spirits are predominantly imported and are not viable for return and refill within the UK.
British Glass urges the Welsh Government to work collaboratively with the whole food and beverage supply chain and the other UK nations to develop a harmonised, evidence-led approach that supports environmental goals without compromising consumer choice or economic viability.
Nick Kirk, Federation Director at British Glass, said, “We stand ready to support the development of a truly effective recycling DRS and reuse scheme, but they both must be built on robust data, realistic infrastructure planning, and a shared vision across the UK. We urge the Welsh Government to align the scope of their recycling DRS with the rest of the UK to commence a UK wide DRS in October 2027.”