Ex-SNP minister Fergus Ewing yesterday branded his party's long-promised deposit-return scheme a disaster which could turn into a catastrophe if not halted - and warned drinks firms are in a "state of fear".
The Inverness and Nairn MSP claimed the controversial environmental measures will force some businesses to shut as he pleaded with leader Nicola Sturgeon to pause the scheme to protect worried companies.
The new laws are set to go live in Scotland in August.
Consumers will be forced to pay a 20p deposit when buying drinks that come in a single-use container.
They can then get that money back when they return it to deposit points which will be placed all across the country.
But the Press & Journal says businesses in the north and north-east have warned high admin costs and initial registration fees will hit them financially.
Fear over prices
In November, the owner of a small soft drinks company in Fraserburgh said everything will go up in price once the scheme is fully in place.
Mr Ewing yesterday warned that more than 600 firms were concerned about the impact the scheme would have on them.
He said: "Many of these businesses are in a state of fear and even despair. Some will close. Some will fail. Others will no longer sell their own produce in their own country of Scotland.
"Unless halted now, this scheme - which most businesses believe to be fatally-flawed - will damage the reputation of Scotland as a place to do business."
He asked: "Will you instruct a pause of this disaster of a scheme before it becomes a catastrophe?"
Mr Ewing also demanded that single-use glass containers be excluded from the scope of the law once it comes into effect.
Efforts to help
In response, First Minister Ms Sturgeon said her government had already made efforts to help businesses by reducing costs.
The SNP leader also told her party colleague she was willing to take a look at whether more could be done to support smaller firms, many of whom are already struggling due to high inflation.
Earlier this week, a leading lawyer claimed the deposit-return scheme could create an unlawful trade barrier with the rest of the UK.
Aidan O'Neill said the Scottish Government may have to delay it until the launch of a UK-wide scheme in 2025.
In a legal opinion, Mr O'Neill said he believed there were "well-founded" concerns that the scheme would create a trade barrier between Scotland and England as it would require different prices to be charged for the same product on each side of the border.
He said expert economic evidence would be required to confirm this, but that it meant the scheme could contravene the UK Internal Market Act 2020.
Disadvantage
Mr O'Neill also warned that the regulations could not be enforced for single-use packaged drinks imported into Scotland from elsewhere in the UK, which would disadvantage Scottish producers.
Just last week, a leading trade body said it feared Scotland's deposit-return scheme would not be ready to launch in August.
The Scottish Retail Consortium said its members, who must sign up by March 1, had yet to see an operational blueprint.