Independent retailers have welcomed the news that the Scottish government is putting its "latte levy" plans on ice.
The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) had warned that adding a charge of at least 25p to every disposable drinks cup, regardless of the material used, would be bad for business and would not achieve the government’s aims of cutting cup waste.
When the move was first proposed, the Fed’s National President Mo Razzaq, who runs Premier Mo’s in Blantyre, said the move would give retailers no incentive to use cups made from recycled materials.
“With more sustainable cups, such as those made from biodegradable material or bio-based plastics included, there will be no incentive for retailers to buy and serve drinks in recycled materials,” he said.
“This could push coffee drinkers to larger outlets as they can absorb the tax better than smaller retailers.”
Responding after the Scottish government announced that it would not be introducing the single-use cup charge in 2025, Mr Razzaq added: “We are pleased that the government is acting on Fed members’ concerns. We agree that action is needed to better protect our environment but this ‘latte levy’ is not the right way to go about it.
“Instead of adding at least 25p to the cost of disposable hot and cold drinks cups, Fed members believe that litter louts should be given heftier fines of £500 or £1,000 and community service picking up litter.”
