Since launching in 2020, there have been significant improvements in recycling behaviour. The WA Government anticipates that the expansion will continue to help reduce waste to landfill, improve recycling rates and simplify recycling choices for consumers.

From mid-2026, consumers will be able to claim the 10 cent refund on a wider range of beverage containers (150 mL to 3 L), including:

• Glass wine and spirit bottles
• Cask and sachet packaging for wine and water
• Fruit and vegetable juice, flavoured milk, and cordial containers

Plain milk and registered health tonics will remain excluded. The expansion is expected to make around 200 million additional containers eligible each year, including 90 to 130 million glass bottles.

For beverage suppliers, the expansion brings new regulatory and operational responsibilities. Producers of wine and spirits will be required to:

• Register eligible containers under the scheme
• Apply approved refund marks and barcodes to labels
• Contribute to the refund pool through supplier payments

Suppliers will need to ensure compliance ahead of the 2026 start date to avoid supply disruptions. Businesses are encouraged to review labelling, packaging design, and approval processes early to ensure readiness for the expanded scheme.

Our team can help you navigate the compliance process, from assessing packaging eligibility and label review to preparing documentation and supplier submissions.

Contact us for tailored support ahead of the 2026 expansion.

Under the new rules as part of SA’s broader push against single-use plastics, rigid plastic soy sauce containers holding less than 30 mL are prohibited.

These tiny dispensers are considered convenience packaging that are difficult to recycle for the following reasons:

• Their small size and shape make them prone to being washed into drains.
• In kerbside recycling systems, they are usually too small to be captured by sorting machinery, ending up in landfill or plastic pollution.
• They pose risks to wildlife and marine animals.
• They degrade into microplastics that persist in the environment.

This move is a part of SA’s rolling expansion of single-use plastic bans, which have already targeted items such as plastics straws, cutlery, coffee cups and takeaway food containers.

With packaging regulations evolving rapidly across Australia, businesses need to stay ahead of upcoming bans and material restrictions. Our team can review your current packaging portfolio and identify non-compliant items to help your business stay compliant and confident under changing state and national packaging regulations.

The Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA), developed after the collapse, is establishing a renewed packaging scheme to collect soft plastics from supermarkets and plastic producers, towards contributing to the effort to fund a recycling supply chain.

SPSA have also begun kerbside recycling trials in nine councils in SA, Victoria and NSW. One close to our local home is the Soft Plastics Acceptance at Anglesea Transfer Station by the Surf Coast Shire. Residents in these councils can drop off clean, soft plastics, including plastic bags, bread bags, chip packets, cling wrap, pet food bags, and squeeze pouches. Since the trial in 2024, a combined 890 kilograms of soft plastics have been collected. 

Experts argue that mandatory recycled-content standards would help drive demand for recycled plastic, making recycling more viable and economically stable. Implementing regulations that take into account a product’s whole lifecycle allows for improved packaging design and functionality.

This is a fantastic opportunity for your brand to demonstrate sustainable packaging material redesign, lighter packaging or recyclable alternatives and compliance with a circular economy and recycled content standards. 

If you’re a business handling packaging (especially soft plastics), now is the time to get ahead. We can help you by:

• Conducting PREP reports that assess your current packaging and emerging regulatory expectations (e.g. design for recyclability, recycled content).
• Packaging compliance assessments to ensure your materials, supply chain, labels, and claims meet both current regulations and those likely to come.
• Reporting your packaging efforts, being able to demonstrate compliance with regulators and customers.

Discuss with us today your current status of recycling and where it can take you.

The states have announced plans to expand their container deposit schemes (CDS) to broaden the range of beverage containers eligible for refund with South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas acknowledging it’s time to take the next step and show the dedication to making sure that they are having a positive environmental impact when they choose to recycle, which is most people, he acknowledged.

The changes are expected to align with the continued positive national efforts, improving consistency across states and providing greater clarity for producers, retailers, and recyclers. This expansion will likely cover additional packaging formats currently outside the 10c refund scope, further supporting recycling rates and reducing litter.

For businesses, this means upcoming adjustments to packaging compliance, labelling, and reporting obligations. Companies operating nationally will particularly benefit from the move towards greater uniformity, but should prepare early for potential changes to product registration, refund marking, and supply chain processes.

We’ll continue monitoring the regulatory details as they develop. If your business needs support with packaging compliance, container deposit registrations, or labelling updates, our team can help you stay compliant and ready for 2027.

This update provides an essential tool for understanding the nutritional profile of foods consumed in Australia today.

AUSNUT (Australian Food, Supplement and Nutrient Database) is a national database that contains detailed information on the nutrient content of thousands of Australian foods, beverages, and dietary supplements. It includes values for macronutrients, micronutrients, and other dietary components.

What’s New?

• Updated food composition data that reflects the current Australian food supply.
• Inclusion of both commonly consumed foods and newer products that reflect changes in the marketplace.
• Expanded detail to support food regulation, labelling, and compliance work.

Our team specialises in helping businesses navigate and apply resources like AUSNUT to support compliance, labelling accuracy, and product development. For businesses working in food regulation, we can support you to use the resource to:

• Support labelling compliance of nutrient declarations
• Benchmark your product’s nutrient profile against similar foods.
• Providing evidence for claims or compliance checks

Whether you need assistance in interpreting the data for nutrition information panels, validating product claims, or aligning with FSANZ requirements, we provide the expertise to ensure your products meet regulatory standards while staying competitive in the market.

The review found that many labels are covered with claims, referring to terms such as “natural,” “no added sugar,” or “supports growth and development,” which may not be fully supported by product formulation or permitted under the Food Standards Code. New research has shown that in the Australian and New Zealand market, there is a need for a reflection of the true nature of the products of whole fruit and vegetables.  

The findings point to a widening gap between marketing practices and regulatory requirements. In particular, nutrient content and health claims are tightly regulated in Australia, and companies making unsupported or misleading statements risk breaching the Australian Consumer Law, as well as standards enforced by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).

For businesses in the infant food sector, this research serves as a timely reminder to carefully review labelling, marketing, and promotional materials to ensure all claims are evidence-based and compliant. Regulatory scrutiny in this space is expected to increase, and proactive compliance measures can help avoid reputational and legal risks.

If you need assistance with claim validation, label reviews, or compliance advice for infant food and broader packaged products, our team can help you navigate the rules with confidence

The energy statement will be mandated and include the below in the prescribed formatted table:

Previously, there was ambiguity in the Code regarding whether claims about sugar were permitted on alcoholic beverages. Standard 1.2.7 will be updated to clarify that nutrition content claims about sugar are permitted on alcoholic beverages, with claims about carbohydrates also allowed. Claims about specific sugars, such as fructose, and other components of carbohydrates are not permitted.

Standard Amendment:

Reports have shown that Australia’s average container return rate is around 68%, much lower than that of European countries, of 90%.

The CDS, which rewards consumers for returning used drink containers, has delivered results in reducing litter and increasing recycling rates since its introduction. However, many advocates believe that a 10c refund is no longer enough to incentivise real behaviour change. Industry leaders and groups have discussed that a higher refund value could increase recycling rates, reduce landfill, and drive real change in packaging sustainability.

Several state governments are reportedly reviewing the proposal, while the federal government has signalled support for stronger circular economy policies. Business groups and packaging suppliers are watching closely, aware that regulatory changes could demand packaging adaptation.

At MSAC, we ensure that packaging is compliant with Australia’s CDS and packaging regulations. Whether you’re a beverage brand or a packaging company, discuss with us today about the CDS refund for support.

The scheme will be run by Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA) and aims to drive an increase in the collection and recycling of soft plastic packaging. Members of the scheme so far include Coles, Woolworths and ALDI, as well as food brands. 

This move marks an important step towards rebuilding consumer trust and industry confidence after the collapse of previous programs.

The focus of the scheme will be on building infrastructures, expanding in-store and kerbside collection of soft plastics for recycling, and diverting them from landfill.

The ACCC considers that the public environmental benefits outweigh any potential detriment to competition. It plans to grant authorisation for eight years and has included conditions, including reporting to ensure transparency.

We specialise in helping Australian food and beverage businesses navigate packaging compliance and meet the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) requirements. 

Contact us today to ensure your packaging is compliant and ready for upcoming implementations.