The European Commission will wait until 22 October until deciding whether to challenge a German law concerning beverage packaging recycling. A spokesperson for the Commission said that more time is needed to gather information about the case.

The law, which was reported yesterday on beveragedaily.com, is designed to protect the environment by encouraging a switch to reusable packages. It requires retailers to take back non-reusable packages such as drink cans. Drink manufacturers argue that the law is far too complex and will adversely affect businesses.

The Commission also claims that the move violates EU law by discriminating against foreign producers, who hold 94 per cent of the market for non-reusable packages. Transferring reusable bottles from one country to another would also be a highly complex operation.