Forum: Container return scheme difficult for school canteen stallholders to manage

The implementation of the Beverage Container Return Scheme may have unintended financial and operational consequences for school canteen stallholders.

Under the Return Right F&B Scheme, stallholders are not allowed to charge students the 10-cent deposit for beverage containers, but are still required to pay it upfront to suppliers.

This puts them at risk of financial losses if the containers are not successfully recovered for return.

In a school environment, where disposal behaviour may be inconsistent, even a small rate of non-recovery can result in recurring losses.

Beyond the financial aspect, the operational burden is equally concerning. Stallholders may be required to manage the collection, sorting, storage and return of large volumes of used bottles and cans.

This is challenging given existing constraints such as limited manpower, tight stall space, hygiene considerations, and the time required to process returns through reverse vending systems.

Without a centralised collection and return system, these responsibilities may not be practical for individual stallholders to manage daily. This could make the scheme financially unattractive and operationally difficult for small operators who are already working within narrow margins.

While the objective of improving recycling rates is important, the implementation of the scheme in school settings should consider the realities faced by canteen stallholders to ensure that the system remains both fair and workable.

Jennifer Ho