CRAIG Hoy, a Conservative MSP for South Scotland, has raised concerns over the “unintended consequences” of the Scottish Government’s Deposit Return Scheme after meeting with brewers and pub-owners from across East Lothian.
The Scheme would introduce a 20p deposit on all alcohol bottles and cans in Scotland, which would be paid for by breweries, distilleries and other producers.
Mr Hoy has already raised concerns about the roll-out of the scheme and the impact it will have on East Lothian producers compared to those based elsewhere in the UK in the Scottish Parliament.
The South Scotland MSP recently met with East Lothian alcohol producers including Belhaven Brewery and Thistly Cross cider to discuss their concerns about the Scottish Government’s proposed Deposit Return Scheme.
He also met with Dominic McNeill, the owner of the Tower Inn Pub in Tranent to mark the 1-year anniversary of the pub’s reopening, and representatives from Scottish Beer and Pub Association which represents brewers selling over 90% the beer sold in Scotland and around 1000 Scottish pubs.
Craig Hoy MSP, who is the Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Group on Beer and Pubs, said: “It was great to catch up with Dominic McNeill, who saved the Tower Inn from closure last year.
“Pubs like the Tower Inn are the lifeblood of our communities - supporting over 60,000 jobs in Scotland and being a secure environment to monitor problem drinking.
“Breweries and distilleries also play a very significant role in supporting Scotland’s image and branding overseas, and they are an important part of the tourist package in Scotland and East Lothian.
“There are industry-wide concerns about the Scottish Government’s Deposit Return Scheme, although brewers accept the need for a scheme to be introduced to assist in meeting Scotland’s climate obligations.
“The Deposit Return Scheme as it stands would force all producers in Scotland to introduce a 20p deposit on bottles and cans in addition to paying a two to three pence administrative surcharge per bottle by the time the scheme goes live in five months.
“Already, one of the front-running candidates looking to replace Nicola Sturgeon as Scotland’s First Minister has called for the scheme to be suspended, leaving producers in limbo on whether to sign-up to the scheme or not.
“The Scottish Government should delay and align the scheme with the rest-of-the-UK, which will see England, Wales and Northern Ireland introduce schemes in 2025. This would tackle any disadvantage the scheme would present to Scottish producers and give the sector more time to prepare for the introduction of the deposit return.
“I would also urge the Scottish Government to rethink elements of its forthcoming ban on alcohol advertising. This ban could prevent East Lothian producers from promoting Scotland on their alcohol containers and stop alcohol-related visitor attractions such as breweries and distilleries in East Lothian from selling their own branded merchandise.
“Many producers have even stated their intentions of pulling out of Scotland altogether, impacting jobs across Scotland at a time of rising living and energy costs.
“The Scottish Government must now listen to the sector and bring the scheme into line with the rest of the UK to better protect jobs across Scotland.”
Paul Togneri, Senior Advisor for the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, said: “It was great to meet with Craig and Dominic in Tranent to chat about the range of issues facing pubs and brewers. Dominic and the team have done a fantastic job in turning the Tower Inn into a real community hub and are a fantastic advert for the positive impact pubs can have in their local areas.
“The sector is still in recovery mode from the pandemic though, and there is real concern about the impact DRS, increases to business rates, and ongoing inflationary pressures will have on the industry. For pubs to continue supporting their local communities, greater support is needed from policymakers at all levels of government.”
