Beverage manufacturers and industry bodies are invited by Container Exchange (COEX) to take part in a six-week consultation regarding proposed changes to Queensland’s container refund scheme, Containers for Change.
COEX is looking for feedback on its scheme pricing framework review to make participation in the recycling program easier for beverage manufacturers and to boost the circular economy.
Topics for consultation suggested by COEX include:
- Introducing a zero-fee container threshold of 20,000 containers to ease the financial burden on all beverage manufacturers, in particular smaller producers.
- Extending payment terms to enable beverage manufacturers to better align to industry standards and optimise cash flows.
- Transitioning to a cost-reflective pricing model that accounts for the true cost of recycling different material types and promotes the circular economy.
- Setting a long-term pricing formula with automatic adjustments for CPI and recycling rates to provide transparency and greater certainty for industry.
COEX Chief Executive Officer Natalie Roach said the scheme pricing framework review aimed to improve scheme price stability and predictability, and optimise scheme efficiency.
“We are working with beverage manufacturers and industry to ensure the scheme pricing framework continues to support our nation-leading container refund scheme and the circular economy,” Roach said.
“The scheme pricing methodology has remained largely the same since Queensland’s container refund scheme launched in 2018 and does not reflect the emerging challenges facing the industry.
“To ensure no container goes to waste it is important the scheme pricing framework consider a range of factors such as the recycling cost of different materials as well as the cost of not recycling the material at all.”
COEX said the review is not about adjustments to the scheme price for eligible beverages, adding it has not increased scheme pricing since August 2022.
Roach said it was important for beverage manufacturers to have their say in the scheme pricing framework review so the environmental, social and economic benefits of the scheme could be amplified for all Queenslanders.
“A modern scheme pricing framework will provide greater certainty for beverage manufacturers, promote stronger circularity outcomes and support the container refund scheme in reaching its full potential.”
The consultation process for the scheme pricing framework review will run from 9 June to 18 July 2025, with any resulting changes rolled out in early 2026. For information on how to participate in the scheme price review consultation, visit the COEX website.