Deposit return scheme: 'Not the right time' says Inverness business leader
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The director of Inverness BID said fears the deposit return scheme in its current form will not meet its stated environmental objectives.
Lorraine Bremner McBride said: “At the end of last year over 500 business leaders signed an open letter directing the Scottish Government to delay the deposit return scheme roll out due to the ‘catastrophic impact’ the initiative was projected to have on businesses and consumers and calling for the initiative to be paused, revised and rewritten.
"A lack of joined up thinking overall and lack of operational detail seriously risks rebound, meaning the green objectives of the measure won’t be met in full or part as it currently stands.
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“There is also a real risk of business closures and economic damage meaning pausing the scheme to get things right is the only sensible way forward, not least given our members continue to be markedly impacted by Brexit, the after-effects of the pandemic, are battling high interest rates, high energy costs and high inflation, as well as the of the cost-of-living crisis and higher costs overall.
"Until the scheme is launched in England the rollout this August will also create an uneven and unfair trading environment between north and south of the border at an already precarious time, impacting also on consumer choice.”
