Chetan Wholesale raised awareness of how retailers will be impacted by the upcoming deposit return scheme (DRS) and illicit tobacco trade to Labour MP, David Burton-Sampson.
Burton-Sampson, MP for Southend West and Leigh, visited the firm’s cash and carry in Southend on 20 March.
During the visit, Chetan director Jay Mandalia told the MP about the extra cost implications that DRS will have on retailers when it is introduced in October 2027, particularly on those who will have to house a specialised machine to take back bottles as part of the scheme.
Read more: Unitas releases marketing guide for suppliers
Other concerns were raised around manual handling, particularly potential challenges around hygiene, space to hold bottles and potential abuse from customers.
Mandalia, alongside Unitas Wholesale managing director John Kinney and member development controller Stephen Cheetham, highlighted how illicit tobacco traders were also harming the sales of legitimate retailers
They added that the generational tobacco ban, if approved, could spark confrontations between customers and retailers.
Burton-Sampson was also informed about how Chetan is able to pass on pricing to retailers which allow them to compete with supermarkets. The Unitas Wholesale buying group uses the collective power of its members to negotiate better cost prices with suppliers. The MP pledged to raise the concerns about DRS with the government.
