UKH: ‘DRS must be workable for hospitality'

By Lisa Riley

Published: 07 June, 2021

Safety and space concerns, increased business costs and bureaucracy caused by the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) would place a disproportionate burden on many hospitality businesses, UK Hospitality (UKH) has said in response to the government’s proposal on the scheme.

The trade body recommends that DRS should target those parts of the economy where recycling levels are low and that result in littering.

“We support the principle and aims of a DRS system, and believe that it could be an effective vehicle to improve recycling rates across the UK,” said CEO Kate Nicholls.

“However, such a scheme must not overly burden hospitality businesses, which are in a fragile state following more than a year of punitive restrictions to trading,” she said.

UKH welcomed the proposals that would exempt certain parts of hospitality from acting as a return point, she added, but had “some concern” as to how this may impact businesses like cafés and Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) that operate some takeaway services.

“Hospitality businesses have an admirable record on recycling. The packaging tends to stay within the premises so there should be no extra obligation to charge deposits or to have to install return points. Any return scheme should focus measures on parts of the economy where recycling levels are low.

“The scheme should be as simple as current recycling and waste management schemes, and the various proposed schemes across the UK must be as closely linked as is possible in order to make it easier for businesses and consumers, and to limit the potential for fraud. We will continue to work with government over the coming years to ensure that the scheme works for the sector.’’

The government has launched its second consultation into a DRS for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In addition, it also announced a delay to the implementation of a DRS for those countries until late 2024 at the earliest.

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