ENVIRONMENT secretary Michael Gove was poised to announce plans to introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers, as Scottish Grocer went to press, potentially opening up the field for an integrated system across the UK.
Reports in the Daily Mail and The Times claimed Gove was ready to announce a network of reverse vending machines as part of a larger initiative aimed at boosting recycling rates.
The Scottish Government controversially announced plans to introduce a DRS scheme last autumn, a move which has split opinion among producers and industry bodies.
Criticisms of DRS have included potential for cross-border fraud, an issue which could be made simpler should Westminster opt to adopt a similar scheme.
