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 […]

Date: Friday, 27 March 2026  ABS DATA CONFIRMS AUSTRALIANS ARE DRINKING LESS SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES  Australian Bureau of Statistics data reinforces a clear long-term trend: Australians are drinking fewer sugar-sweetened beverages  The latest ABS apparent consumption data shows a 6.6 per cent decline (2018/19 – 2023/24) in consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, validated by the independent research commissioned by the non-alcoholic beverages industry.   CEO of the Australian Beverages Council Mr Geoff Parker said the evidence clearly shows a […]

Date: Thursday, 26 March 2026  The Australian Beverages Council Ltd (ABCL) has today released an independent scientific review confirming that groundwater abstraction operations by its Western Australian source operators are sustainable and use groundwater responsibly.  This landmark report, Responsible use of groundwater, was conducted by hydrologists and hydrogeologists at The University of Western Australia, providing an independent, evidence-based assessment of groundwater operations in the Perth region.   Key findings from the review […]

Date: Wednesday, 25 March 2026  CDS CONTINUES TO BE THE STRONGEST EPR IN AUSTRALIA  Australia’s national network of container deposit schemes (CDS) continue to represent the strongest and most successful model of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in Australia. CDS is delivering measurable environmental outcomes, including more than 49,000 tonnes of PET plastic diverted from landfill in FY24, while also […]

Date: Monday, 5 January 2026 The Australian Beverages Council, the peak industry body representing Australia’s non-alcoholic beverage sector, today firmly rejects recent claims questioning the safety, quality, and labelling of popular bottled water brands in Australia. All bottled water sold in Australia is subject to strict safety, quality, and labelling regulations under the Australia New […]

Date: 18 September 2025 Statement attributable to Geoff Parker, CEO of the Australian Beverages Council Limited (ABCL) The Australian Beverages Council Limited (ABCL) continues to support targeted, effective policies that address the growing rates of non-communicable disease (NCDs) in Australia. Internationally, the United Nations has repeatedly considered and rejected taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages due to […]