DAVID Martin (“Deposit return scheme would make shopping more complex and costly”, Agenda, The Herald, September 11) is entirely correct to highlight the increased costs customers would face if a deposit return scheme were to be introduced.
The other side of the equation is that the impact on convenience store retailers would be nothing short of disastrous. Local shops simply do not have the space in-store to cope with the anticipated high levels of returned containers.
To ensure they remain competitive, convenience stores have had to maximize the overall selling space available in-store, as such a typical convenience store now has very limited storage space. Independent retailers do not have access to the backhauling services which would be required to collect and transport the returns.
Rather than increasing costs for customer and putting businesses at risk, the most effective way to boost recycling rates and reduce litter is surely to invest further in the kerbside recycling services we are all becoming very adept at using.
John Lee,
Scottish Grocers Federation,
222 Queensferry Road,
Edinburgh.
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