Latest news with #EwanMacDonald-Russell
Scotsman
15-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
SNP ministers told to ditch 'latte levy' on disposal coffee cups as tax will not come into force this year
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scottish ministers are being told to ditch their 'latte levy' proposals for good after it was confirmed the charge will not come into force this year. The Scottish Government wants to charge at least 25p on drinks such as tea and coffee sold in disposable cups. An estimated 388.7 million disposable cups are used in Scotland each year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish businesses had expected this charge to be brought forward this year, but it has now been confirmed this will not be happening. Disposable coffee cups are stacked on a table. Photo illustration by. |. Business leaders say imposing an extra charge on single-use cups will stop Scots buying takeaway drinks altogether as opposed to encouraging them to bring a reusable cup with them. They also say they are worried about independent retailers' ability to cover any extra costs. Ewan MacDonald-Russell, deputy head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: 'The cups levy remains a terrible idea, which deserves to be dumped in the bin. Adding a charge to drinks on the go is more likely to affect whether consumers buy the drink in the first place rather than encourage them to use a reusable cup. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The idea consumers will treat cups the same way as shopping bags is implausible. The reality is many hospitality businesses cannot effectively offer reusable alternatives because they sell self-service drinks, deliver drinks or don't have the capacity to safely clean customers' cups.' He added: 'We're glad Scottish ministers have listened to our representations and those of shops and cafes and delayed bringing forward legislation. 'We hope the focus will now be on working collaboratively with industry on more realistic options to reduce single cup use - such as the national cup recycling scheme, borrow cup, and the use of discounts and rewards to incentivise the use of a reusable cup over a single-use one, along with investing in recycling capacity and infrastructure. 'Scotland's retailers want to encourage consumers to make more sustainable choices. That is best done by incentives rather than ineffective levies.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Federation of Small Businesses said a 'latte levy' could put retailers off using disposable cups made from recycled materials. The Scottish Government has wanted to bring in a 25p levy on single-use cups Mo Razzaq, national president of the federation and owner of Premier Mo's in Blantyre, said: 'This could push coffee drinkers to larger outlets as they can absorb the tax better than smaller retailers.' He 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.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A date of 2025 for this levy was included in a draft circular economy route map by the Government. However, no date was included in the final route map. The Scottish Government has now confirmed no levy will be brought in this year. A Government spokeswoman said: 'The Scottish Government is working closely with stakeholders to develop a single-use cups charge that is deliverable and allows businesses and consumers time to prepare.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mother's Day gifts boosted retail sales in Scotland
Mother's Day shopping gave retailers a sales boost in March, an industry body has said. Figures from the Scottish Retail Consortium show that between March 1 and April 5, total sales in Scotland increased by 0.3% compared with March 2024, when they had risen 2.8%. This was below the three-month average increase of 0.5% and above the 12-month average decrease of 0.8%, according to the SRC, which said that adjusted for inflation, there was a year-on-year increase of 0.7%. Easter and Holy Week were in March last year but fall in April 2025, and SRC deputy head Ewan MacDonald-Russell described the new data as a 'surprisingly strong performance' for March 2025. Beauty products and gardening sales were particularly popular in Scotland last month, according to analysts. Sales increased by 1.5% on a like-for-like basis compared with March 2024, when they had risen 2.1% – above the three-month average increase of 0.9% and above the 12-month average decrease of 0.4%, according to SRC data. READ MORE: Global fashion brand debuts first Glasgow store at Silverburn Leading outdoor retailer opens new store at Loch Lomond Liquidators appointed to operator of Scottish shopping centre Total food sales in Scotland decreased by 1.5% compared with March 2024, when they had increased 5.1%. This was below the three-month average increase of 0.6% and below the 12-month average decrease of 0.3%, the SRC said. Total non-food sales in Scotland increased by 1.7% compared with March 2024, when they had increased by 0.9% – above the three-month average increase of 0.5% and above the 12-month average decrease of 1.3%. Adjusted for the effect of online sales, non-food sales in Scotland increased by 2.0% compared with March 2024, when they had increased by 0.1%. This was above the three-month average increase of 1.1% and above the 12-month average decrease of 1.0%. Mr MacDonald-Russell said: 'Scottish retail sales saw a small rise in March, a surprisingly strong performance considering Easter fell in the comparative month in 2024. 'The rise was lifted by a marked increase in non-food sales, which offset the predictable fall in food sales. 'Mother's Day proved to be a boon for retailers with gifts and beauty products selling well. 'Computing and gaming sales continued to perform well, lifted by pre-orders of the new Nintendo Switch 2. 'These figures will hearten retailers who need good trading to counterbalance the turbulent economic news, and the significant public policy costs businesses are grappling with. 'With Easter still to come hopefully there will be more good news next month as well.' Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure at KPMG, said: 'As spring arrived, house and garden related purchases and gifts for Mother's Day drove non-food retail sales growth in Scotland in March. 'Amidst downbeat consumer confidence in the UK's economic outlook, and many households facing rising costs, retail sales growth feels an achievement. 'But with non-food sales only climbing around half a per cent on average, competition means there are some retailers really struggling whilst others win, especially online. 'Scotland's retailers will be pushing for higher growth rates as we move toward summer and holiday season, particularly as they are now paying higher wage costs and facing volatility and potential impact on their supply chains due to global tariffs.'
