New container deposit laws in NSW will operate from December 1, 2017, and from that date, says MGA Independent Retailers CEO Jos de Bruin, independently owned businesses on the NSW borders will suffer the consequences.
“MGA has pleaded with the Minister for the Environment, Minister Upton, to listen to the many independent retailers who operate small businesses on all the borders of NSW and who will suffer serious business consequences as a result of this decision to push ahead with these new laws,” Mr de Bruin said.
“Independently owned and operated supermarkets and liquor stores will be forced to increase their prices to accommodate the 10¢ refund and additional logistics costs on drink containers, whether they be bottles or cans, and if the consumer can buy those goods cheaper across the border, can you blame them?
“Then there’s the big chain store that will have the reverse vending machine for money returns right outside their doors, so that the consumer can go there instead of going to their small, local store, which hasn’t got the space or money to house a similar machine.
“The loss of viability and sustainability is inevitable, and these small businesses will just close down.”
Mr de Bruin says this information was put to the government before the scheme was confirmed, but it was ignored.
“Is it that they just don’t care about the hundreds of small and independently owned businesses that have worked hard to build their businesses?” he said. “This would seem to be the case.
“Well, perhaps the minister, in her secure government position, will in the near future spare a thought for those retailers who will have to literally shut up shop when their businesses crumble and they try to find work elsewhere to support their families. Perhaps the minister will ponder whether there was something she could have done to help – but then again perhaps she won’t.”
