Concerned Scottish Brewers write open letter to Cabinet Secretary Roseanna Cunningham on Deposit Return

A group of small brewers from across Scotland have today (10 December 2019) written an open letter to the Scottish Government on the proposed Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

This comes as the consultation for the regulations on DRS is due to close today. As currently designed the Scottish DRS will have major implications for small breweries selling independent craft beer in Scotland.

Commenting on the letter, Barry Watts, Head of Public Affairs at SIBA said:

“Small independent brewers are conscious of their environmental impact and are constantly looking for ways to increase their sustainability. But they have real concerns about how the Scottish DRS is currently designed.

“Breweries fear it will impose unsustainable costs, threaten the future of their businesses and ultimately reduce the choice and availability of independent craft beer in Scotland; now is the chance for the Scottish Government to make changes to the scheme before it is too late.”

The 26 small independent brewers based in Scotland have signed the following joint letter to Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform.

A Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland

Dear Roseanna

As small independent brewers we make some of the best beer available in Scotland which is enjoyed by drinkers across our country and beyond.

Our breweries are an important part of our local communities. We care about our country and its future and want Scotland to be a sustainable place to live and work. We also care about the environment and want to do our part to improve it.

However, we are deeply concerned that the deposit return scheme (DRS) as it is currently designed will have major implications for the future of our small businesses and the choice of beer available in Scottish communities. Without changes it will threaten our livelihoods, local jobs and the pubs, bars and shops that we serve.

DRS needs to take account of the size of the business because a scheme designed for global brands cannot work for the small producer. We urge you to consider tiered registration fees and producer fees along with de-minis thresholds. This could be based on the methodology used for the Small Breweries’ Relief which provides support for small independent brewers in the UK.

For DRS to be successful, it is likely that a Scottish only SKU will be required on the label. Producing small runs of different labels is very costly for small brewers and we would urge you to consider what support can be provided. We would like to see a cost-effective way to avoid having to place expensive labels of small runs of cans and bottles.

The Scottish Government has established an ambitious timetable for the introduction of DRS in 2021. The proposed implementation period is a short time for small businesses such as ourselves to prepare. If DRS is implemented quickly, it may result in business failure and reduced consumer choice. Given that Westminster is planning to introduce its own scheme it would be sensible to delay the implementation so that there can be one scheme for the whole of the UK.

This is a critical time for small businesses in Scotland, who are facing a multitude of uncertainty from Brexit and other issues. We do not want the DRS to be the tipping point for our businesses and want to work with you to ensure it is a success.

We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss this matter further or for you to visit one of our breweries to see for yourself the challenges we face.

Yours sincerely

 

John Anderson

Owner, Red Castle Brewery

 

Andrew Barnett

Director, Barneys Beer

 

Tim Butler

Director, St Andrews Brewing Company

 

Stuart Cail

Master Brewer, Harviestoun Brewery

 

Jamie Delap

Managing Director, Fyne Ales

 

Nick Fleming

Managing Director, Ovenstone 109

 

Kathryn Herculson

Brewery Manager, Lerwick Brewery

 

Lucy Hicks

Director, Glenspean Brewing

 

Rob Hill

Head Brewer, Swannay Brewery

 

Dave Lannigan

Head Brewer, Ride Brewing Co

 

Fiona Maceachern

Managing Director, Loch Lomond Brewery

 

Tommy Martin

Black Wolf Brewery

 

Bob Masson

Director, Dog Falls Brewing Co

 

David McGowan

Director, Broughton Ales

 

Rob McKinnon

Director, Loomshed Brewery

 

Annika Meiklejohn

Director & Co-owner, Tempest Brewing Co

 

Gerald Michaluk

Director, Arran Brewery

 

Karen Moore

Office Manager, Kelburn Brewery

 

Bill Paterson

Director, Fintry Brewing Company

 

Allan Rimmer

Co-founder, Merchant City Brewing Co

 

Kate Russell

Director, Inner Bay Brewery

 

Alastair Scoular

Director, Five Kingdoms Brewery

 

Christie Slater

Director, Loch Leven Brewery

 

Jo Stewart

Co-founder, Stewart Brewing

 

Nigel Tiddy

Managing Director, Windswept Brewing Co

 

Kenny Webster

Managing Director, Isle of Skye Brewing Co

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