WSTA hits out at decision to include glass in Welsh DRS
The recent decision by the Welsh government to include single-use glass bottles in its Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) has been criticised by the WSTA, which called the policy costly and ineffective.
From 1 October 2027, UK consumers will pay a deposit for certain single-use drink containers (for example, if they are made from PET or aluminium) that will be refunded to them when they bring the used container to a ‘return point’ – a system known as a DRS.
Unlike the rest of the UK, when Wales’ DRS comes into force, it will include glass, due to an exclusion the scheme has been granted from the Internal Market Act.
However, a transition period will apply until October 2031, throughout which there will be no labelling requirements and a 0p deposit for single-use glass bottles.
The WSTA called claims that there will be no labelling obligations for the first four years of the scheme “disingenuous”, adding that “stock will have to be identified either as ‘not for sale in Wales’ or ‘for sale in Wales only’ to avoid paying environmental charges applicable in the rest of the UK”.
Miles Beale, chief executive of the WSTA, explained: “While our industry is fully committed to producers paying for the waste they place on the market, including a UK-wide DRS for metal and plastic drinks containers by 2027, the Welsh Government's insistence on including glass is a recipe for disaster.
“It will lead to a wide range of wine and spirit products disappearing from Welsh shops and supermarkets and create a barrier to trade that simply does not need to exist. It should be blindingly obvious that the only way to ensure unhindered market access and a successful DRS is to align the scope of materials across all of the UK.”
Based on feedback from its members in 2026, the WSTA added that up to 97% of product lines could be withdrawn from the Welsh market due to the economic burden of compliance.
At the same time, the organisation noted that other containers – such as glass jars – will continue to be collected at the kerbside, which it said would create “greater inefficiency and costs”.
It added that the environmental impact of the additional glass returns in the scheme would be negligible, as Wales already has a glass recycling rate above 90%.
The WSTA and several other trade bodies also said that SMEs would be worst impacted, with the costs of the scheme being hardest for them to bear.
Regarding the new policy, Huw Irranca-Davies, deputy first minister and cabinet secretary for climate change and rural affairs, said that the scheme “represents another milestone… which will enable Wales to keep leading the way in the UK and the world in building a circular economy that delivers for our economy, our communities and our environment.”
Picture Credit: terimakasih0 on Pixabay
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