The Nationalist Party has called for the Government to reassure consumers that they will not bear the burden of increases in Beverage Container Refund Scheme (BCRS) administrative fees.
In a statement, The PN insisted that “instead of merely assuring us that it is not the Government introducing these increases and stating that she is dissatisfied with the service provided by the operators managing the scheme, Minister Miriam Dalli should give us a guarantee that prices will not go up.”
The increases affect all beverage containers – whether plastic, glass, aluminium, or steel – including water, with every pack of water set to see a price increase of six cents.
The new fees vary depending on whether the product is locally produced or imported, with rates increasing by 54% in the case of certain glass bottles and by as much as 143% for aluminium containers.
The PN stated that many anticipate that this new charge – justified as an “adjustment” to cover the ever-rising costs of the bottle collection and recycling system – will lead to price increases for these products. “Consumers, who are already paying more per bottle since the introduction of the BCRS scheme, will bear the brunt of this increase.”
It added that, “while the additional 10 cents will continue to be refunded via BCRS machines, this new increase does not appear to be subject to the same refund, and the Government has yet to clarify exactly what will happen from 1st February when these changes come into effect.”
“The only thing we know is that, in a Facebook post, Minister Miriam Dalli blamed the private sector, stating that the Government is not responsible for these increases, but rather the private operator running the system,” the PN said.
It went on to say that “the Minister also tried to reassure us that this increase has nothing to do with the bottle deposit system paid by consumers and is not a new tax.”
“Regardless of who is responsible – whether the Government or BCRS – it was the Government that signed the contract with the scheme’s private operator. One must therefore ask whether the agreement allows them to increase prices whenever they choose,” the PN said.
“Miriam Dalli also stated that she is not satisfied with the level of service provided by BCRS operators and that consumers should be treated with greater respect and efficiency. However, the Minister’s complaints and dissatisfaction will not lead us anywhere. The public expects nothing less than a guarantee from Minister Dalli and the Government that prices will not increase – nothing more, nothing less,” the PN said.
The Nationalist Party concluded by saying that “what the Government must do is ensure that the cost of living does not continue to rise and that consumers do not keep carrying the burden of continuous price increases on the essential products they consume daily.”
File photo BCRS