Coca-Cola Amatil, Schweppes and Lion have launched a Federal Court of Australia action to challenge the legal validity of the Northern Territory’s container deposit scheme. The beverage giants made an application to have the scheme removed in which they would no longer be required to pay the 10 cent refund per beverage container that is returned. A Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) spokesperson said that if the application is successful, CCA will move “quickly” to reduce the prices of its Northern Territory... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council, Coca-Cola Amatil, Lion (formerly Lion Nathan), and other beverage companies have released submissions on the proposed National Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) stating that it will significantly increase beverage prices. On 11 October 2012 the Senate referred the National Container Deposit Scheme matter to the Environment and Communications References Committee for inquiry and report by 22 November 2012. According to the submissions, drink prices are set to... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has reacted to a vote by the Tasmanian Parliament to approve an amended Greens motion supporting the establishment of a nationwide container deposit scheme. The vote of approval means that Environment Minister, Brian Wightman, will take ‘in-principle’ support for a national scheme to the upcoming Ministerial Council in August 2012. The motion also means a cost benefit study into a state-based scheme will be undertaken “if a national container... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has accused the Northern Territory (NT) government of breaking the promise by the government to consumers in the NT that beverage prices would not rise on account of its Container Deposit Legislation (CDL). As previously reported by Australian Food News, the CDL was introduced in the Northern Territory on 3 January 2012. According to the AFGC, the costs of running the CDL are overly-expensive and are now being passed on by manufacturers and retailers... ...Read more »

Australian governments have been investigating the concept of a Container Deposit Scheme that will encompass the whole country. Currently, the Northern Territory is due to implement its own CDS system on 3 January 2012. In South Australia, Australia’s first Container Deposit Scheme began operating operating in the State of 1977. An investigation by Australia’s Environment Ministers has now found that the cost of a national Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) would be between A$1.4 billion and A$1.8... ...Read more »