The government is set to launch a retail strategy aiming to highlight clear actions and recommendations to help the progression of the growth of the retail sector.

Speaking with Better Retailing, Welsh minister for rural affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd, Lesley Griffiths MS said that the retail strategy would give support to help future progression for the sector. “A recently convened retail forum will inform development of a strategy which will lay out clear actions and recommendations for immediate, medium and long term activities and priorities.

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“This will support development of a sector which is aligned to Town Centre principles and Programme for Government priorities; a sector which is vibrant, supports fair work principles and one which offers an attractive employment and career progression opportunity,” she said.

Deposit Return Scheme

The minister also shared with Better Retailing about pushing for a separate digital deposit return scheme to be introduced in Wales.

A successful pilot of the digital deposit return scheme was completed in Conwy in Wales, last summer.

Wales is set to introduce their own deposit return scheme, following Scotland whose own scheme will go live in August 2023.

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Griffiths shared that the digital system will act as an additional return route, “we wouldn’t remove the obligation for retailers who sell in-scope containers to act as return points.

“The pilot went well, the technology worked and we obtained valuable feedback,” she said. “When we’ve discussed this with retailers they would also see a benefit as it would reduce the volume of bottles coming through the retailer return points. 

“There are still a number of technical challenges with this system and we’ve commissioned further research and evaluation to understand this more.  This work involves discussions with retailers to understand how the retail sector might support this technological development.”

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