Accolade Wines backs Scotland’s DRS scheme

Accolade Wine has backed the Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), which is due to come into force next summer.

Accolade Wines is Scotland’s largest wine supplieas well as to hospitality businesses across the UK, with brands including Hardys, Jam Shed, Mud House, Banrock Station, Echo Falls and Kumala. It has become a founding partner in the scheme, which will be rolled out on 1 July 2022.

Scotland will be the first part of the UK to introduce a DRS for drinks containers, which aims to increase the number of drinks containers that are recycled, to redue litter, and protect the environment. Consumers will pay a 20p deposit on an eligible single-use container which they get back when they return empty drinks bottles and cans to a return point. The Scottish government is currently finalising the details postponing the scheme to allow stakeholders more time to prepare for roll-out.

Caroline Thompson-Hill, managing director for Europe, Accolade Wines, said that sustainability was a core focus for the company, its customers and consumers. “We are proud to take a leading role within the industry by supporting the development of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme,” she said.

“While there’s still a significant amount of work to do to get the scheme up and running, it will be particularly important to work on a standardised system for container recycling across the UK in the coming months and years.”

Accolade’s support for the DRS forming part of its broader sustainability programme.

In addition to achieving carbon neutral status, the company launched ‘flat’ recycled PET plastic bottles across a number of its brands last year, resulting in a significant reduction in CO₂ across the supply chain.