Friday, 11 September 2026 The Federal Government’s decision to not progress reforms to Australia’s packaging regulations during this term of Parliament is a major setback for extended producer responsibility (EPR), recycling and investment. Australia needs a clear, nationally consistent framework to improve packaging recovery, support domestic recycling and give businesses certainty to invest in more […]

Friday 28 August 2026   Recent coverage of the latest call for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages is nothing more than a shifting of the goalposts to distract from the clear evidence that voluntary industry action is already reducing sugar consumption.  Through the ABCL’s Sugar Reduction Pledge, manufacturers have voluntarily reformulated products, invested in product […]

Friday, 6 August 2026  The Australian Beverages Council Limited (ABCL) is expanding its Environmental Sustainability Roadmap to ESR30 (ESR30) Educational Program, to alcohol manufacturers across Australia.  Originally developed to support non-alcoholic beverage companies, the program offers live virtual courses designed to help beverage manufacturers build practical sustainability knowledge and capability across their businesses. Current courses cover carbon footprint management, decarbonisation and net zero planning, energy and […]

Following longstanding advocacy for this reform, the Australian Beverages Council Limited (ABCL) has welcomed Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s (FSANZ) proposal to introduce an annual common commencement date for future FSANZ-initiated labelling changes, describing it as a positive and practical step towards more predictable, coordinated and efficient regulation. The ABCL supports the proposed 30 May […]

Restricting the sale of energy drinks for under 16-year-olds is a quick headline that does not reflect the long-standing evidence and effective local regulatory arrangements designed to inform Australians.   In Australia, energy drinks are strictly regulated under Standard 2.6.4 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. The Code sets a maximum caffeine level of 80mg per 250mL – comparable to […]

The Australian Beverages Council has made a submission in response to Preventive Health SA’s draft Strategic Plan for Preventive Health Action 2026–2034. The ABCL acknowledges the importance of addressing the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and supports evidence-based preventive health policies that reflect the latest scientific evidence. The submission emphasises that effective health policy should […]