Deliver and enforce the ban on unnecessary product destruction
Deliver the Circular Economy Act ban on companies destroying surplus stock, expand and properly enforce it.
The Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 gives ministers the power to legislate to ban or restrict the destruction of unsold consumer goods, although food is specifically excluded.
There should be clear measures and enforcement in place to prevent the destruction of unsold or returned products. There should also be steps to ensure that the principles of the waste hierarchy are followed – reuse (or in this case use for the first time) should be prioritised over recycling for example.
The commitment in the Circular Economy Act could be strengthened by also including a ban on supermarkets destroying unsold food, as implemented in France in 2016.
For further information:
- Policy Paper for Scotland Circular Economy Bill, Circular Communities Scotland, May 2022, https://www.circularcommunities.scot/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Scotlands-Circular-Economy-Bill-Policy-Paper.pdf