Flawed DRS scheme has to be delayed

So far small businesses have been those leading the way in raising concerns about the Lorna Slater’s flawed deposit return scheme.

Week after week the circular economy minister and Green Party MSP has trotted out the same rehearsed lines about the proposals.

We have heard that it is “industry-led”, big business is happy and those raising concerns are not fully informed.

Politicians asking legitimate questions in the Holyrood chamber are left with their heads in their hands as she tells them they are misrepresenting the facts or are anti-environment.

But today we reveal that f ive major supermarkets have now rubbished the scheme and have urged the Scottish Government to put it on hold.

If she won’t listen to MSPs, or their constituents, perhaps she will have to listen as Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose have joined Asda and Tesco chief executives to say they think the scheme would not work in its current form.

The supermarket giants, who she claims are happy with the scheme, say the exact opposite.

Big business claims the DRS timescale starting on August 16 is too soon and will make the scheme unworkable.

They reveal a lack of key information about how the scheme will work and despite being in support of its aims to boost recycling and reduce litter, they now simply can’t support it in its current form.

Slater cannot be allowed to continue to turn her back on those who say the plans will ruin their businesses and destroy their livelihoods, drive prices up for customers during a cost of living crisis and line the pockets of corporate fatcats.

And it should never have taken the muscle of supermarket heavy hitters to weigh in on the debate for Holyrood ministers to listen.

If Slater continues to not see sense, First Minister Humza Yousaf has to take control of this fiasco himself.