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Scotland DRS: Soft drink industry seeking compensation over delay, denies legal action

Scotland DRS: Soft drink industry seeking compensation over delay, denies legal action
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Pooja Shrivastava
By Pooja ShrivastavaJun 16, 2023
Pooja Shrivastava
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British Soft Drink Association has confirmed to Asian Trader that it is seeking compensation from Scottish government over delay of Deposit Return Scheme until October 2025.

The association, whose members include Coca-Cola, AG Barr, PepsiCo and Britvic, however has denied taking legal route in this matter.

"On behalf of all members, the BSDA is seeking urgent discussion with the Scottish Government on compensation for costs caused by this delay," a BSDA spokesperson told Asian Trader.

The spokesperson also dismissed media claims that the body is consider to pursue legal action, saying "this isn’t the case".

The launch of Scotland’s DRS has been delayed until “at least” October 2025. Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater told Parliament last week that the announcement comes after the UK government declined a request for full exclusion from the Internal Market Act.

BSDA is also reported to have urged the UK government to publish a blueprint for how it intends to achieve an October 2025 start date, particularly regarding how it intends to fulfil the conditions set out in its letter to the Scottish government.

DRS in Scotland was supposed to come into effect from August 16, under which shoppers were supposed to be charged a 20p deposit when buying drinks in a can or bottle, refunded when the containers are returned.

BSDA has been backing the launch of DRS. When change in Sottish leadership happened in March, the body reportedly insisted that the project should go ahead on schedule, saying big companies have invested heavily to meet the August deadline.

Soon after coming into leadership, First minister Humza Yousaf delayed the scheme from August this year to March 2023. After Westminster gave an approval of a partial exemption to the Internal Market Act for the deposit scheme, saying glass could not be part of it, Yousaf's government delayed the scheme until October 2025, a time when recycling initiatives in the other parts of the UK are also ready.

british soft drink associationbsdascotland deposit return schemescotland drs

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