Retailers have voiced disappointment at the government’s waste review, which they say does little to improve access to waste collection and recycling services.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it intends to help smaller businesses to recycle and expand infrastructure for collecting business waste. “In particular, we want to encourage local authorities to accept business waste and recycling at an affordable cost to the business user,” the waste review states.

But the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) said the review did not go far enough and lacked strategy. Shane Brennan, ACS public affairs director, said: “Thousands of shops see lorries drive past every day and collect rubbish from next door houses, yet they can’t use this system. Even if a cost recovery system was included, the existing household infrastructure should be rolled out to small shops too.”

However, he welcomed the absence of new regulations in the review, meaning retailers can expect no further bureaucratic costs. “The review is positive in what it doesn’t say about regulation - which is welcome after the last government - but it lacks vision for the industry.”

The review said it wanted to encourage councils to consider whether household waste recycling centres could be adapted to accept business waste and recycling at an affordable rate to the business user.