Monday, 21 September 2026 The Australian Beverages Council Ltd (ABCL) congratulates Environment Ministers on recognising that regulation of packaging remains a national environmental priority and calls upon government to set clear a pathway for implementation of regulatory reforms.   Friday’s Environment Ministers’ Meeting demonstrates there remains a commitment to nationally consistent packaging rules that improve environmental outcomes, however, the answer is not more open-ended consultation.   CEO of the ABCL Geoff Parker notes these reforms have been discussed for […]

Thursday 10 September 2026 Shannon Doherty-Andall, Sustainability Manager, Australian Beverages Council The current discussion around circular economy policy in Australia tends to take a broad and abstract form: fee structures, material flows, and design standards – to name a few.   In beverage packaging, we see those issues already made tangible.  Beverage containers are embedded […]

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 […]

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 […]