Question reference: S6W-14626
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 3 February 2023
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Current status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 28 February 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that guidance on what would be considered a GS1 compliant barcode within the Deposit Return Scheme has not yet been published; what discussions it has had with (a) Circularity Scotland and (b) SEPA regarding this, and when it expects this guidance to be published.
Answer
Circularity Scotland set out the requirement to use a GS1 compliant barcode in 2021 and this has not changed – it is an international standard. The ability to use a UK-wide EAN barcode within Scotland’s DRS was confirmed by SEPA in summer 2022. Guidance on the use of barcode stickers, to support smaller producers who don’t currently use them on their products, will be published shortly by the Scheme Administrator.