Date: Friday, 27 March 2026 

BEVERAGE INDUSTRY WELCOMES PROGRESS ON A NATIONAL CDS PORTAL BUT CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION ON PACKAGING REFORM 

Australia’s non-alcoholic beverage manufacturers welcome progress on a national portal for container deposit schemes, a long-standing point of advocacy for our industry. The portal is a significant step towards reducing the administrative burden for beverage suppliers navigating the eight schemes operating in Australia and works towards greater harmonisation. 

ABCL calls for greater urgency on reforms to packaging standards. Decisive action from government is needed to provide industry with certainty to allow investment in Australia’s manufacturing sector.  

CEO of Australian Beverages Council Geoff Parker said the meeting’s communique provides some welcome news but presents an opportunity for Australia to double down on packaging reform.  

“A national approach to packaging standards is critical to providing industry with clear direction on Australia’s ambition to eliminate unnecessary plastics and minimise waste,” said Mr Parker.  

“Beverage manufacturers have, for years now been the exemplar, delivering industry-led container deposit schemes (CDS) across the country. CDS is the most successful model of extended producer responsibility (EPR), and it is time that there is circular responsibility across the circular economy.” 

“We welcome progress on a national portal but our industry needs certainty on scope, timelines and implementation of national packaging reforms.  

The ABCL strongly advocates for federal packaging reform to establish national design standards, a coordinated implementation plan and phasing of these regulations, mechanisms that encourage investment in domestic recycling and processing infrastructure to lift the quality and quantity of food-grade recyclate and network-supportive policy and harmonisation of container deposit schemes.  

For media enquiries, please get in touch with lauren@ausbev.org