The Australian Beverages Council Limited (ABCL) has lodged a submission to the ACT Government’s A Circular Future for the ACT discussion paper, reaffirming the non-alcoholic beverages industry’s long-standing commitment to circularity and producer responsibility. ABCL acknowledged the ACT Government’s proposal to remove the exemption for mechanically attached plastic straws, supporting greater national harmonisation. The submission highlighted NSW’s proactive […]

Date: Thursday, 30 April 2026  A landmark 28-year analysis of Australian non-alcoholic drink sales has revealed major shifts in what Australians are choosing to drink, with water and low- and no-sugar carbonated drinks now dominating the beverage aisle.  The research, conducted by FOODiQ Global and published in the peer-reviewed, scientific journal Nutrients, is the longest-running study of its kind globally. […]

ABCL Responds to Calls for 20c Container Refund The Australian Beverages Council Limited (ABCL) has strongly rejected recent calls to double the refund amount under the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), highlighting the negative impact such a move would have on Australians and its limited benefit to recycling outcomes. Date: 6 August 2025 Statement attributable to […]

The Australian Beverages Council has submitted its response to the South Australian Environment Protection Authority’s draft Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) Amendment Bill. In the submission, ABCL welcomes the transition to a not-for-profit scheme coordinator and supports the shift in scheme objectives towards a circular economy model. Key recommendations include prioritising access to high-value recycled materials […]

For immediate release Date: 11 September 2023 SYDNEY – The Australian Beverages Council Limited (ABCL) is delighted to see the continued momentum of Containers for Change, the state’s container refund scheme (CRS), surpassing seven billion drink containers in a second key milestone this year. “We are delighted to see that the winter months did not […]

For immediate release Date: 8 August 2023 SYDNEY – Renewed calls for a sugar tax on non-alcoholic drinks will add a strain to family finances without providing a concrete, wholistic solution to a decades old problem. The non-alcoholic beverages industry is leading the way in supporting healthier consumer choices with initiatives like the nation’s first […]