Pact Group is calling on State and Territory governments to increase their container deposit schemes’ refund amounts from 10c to 20c in order to boost the number of bottles and cans returned for recycling and give more money back to consumers, charities and community groups.

Pact has joined environmental groups, community organisations and other recycling industry leaders to launch the 20 Cents Makes Sense campaign which centres on providing a more meaningful incentive for people to return their empty containers for a refund.

The campaign highlights that none of Australia’s container return schemes are performing as well as overseas programs, leading to billions of recyclable containers polluting our environment and costing everyday Australians.

Currently, the 10c refund leaves Australia trailing behind global leaders like Germany (€0.25 / AUD 40c) and Slovakia (€0.15 / AUD 25c), which boast return rates over 90%. Australia’s schemes average return rates of just 68%.

The 10c people get back currently – now worth only around 6.5c due to inflation – is failing to encourage returns, leading to an estimated 4.23 billion valuable containers wasted every year. That’s millions of dollars in potential refunds lost for Australians, charities, and community groups and instead filling up our landfills.

Leading industry experts underscore the urgent need for reform.

Pact’s Head of Strategic Communications and Government Relations Simon Dowding said: “Australia’s container deposit schemes are good, but we can do better. By increasing the refund amount from 10c to 20c, we can drastically improve the number of containers we recycle, reduce the quantity that go to landfill, and position Australia as a global leader in the circular economy”.

Robert Kelman, Director, Reloop Pacific explained: “The current 10¢ refund is now losing value as an incentive to encourage people to return their recyclable bottles and cans, so they end up in landfill or litter our land and waterways. Increasing the refund to 20¢ is a proven solution that will not only dramatically boost return rates but also put more money directly into the pockets of everyday Australians, charities, and community groups”.

The 20 Cents Makes Sense campaign has two clear asks:

Increase the refund for all bottles and cans from 10¢ to 20¢ across all State and Territory schemes.
Commit to regular, inflation-linked reviews of the refund amount to ensure its value never drops again.
Research by Redbridge shows 85% of Australian adults back a 20c refund, with 84% promising to recycle more if the cash incentive goes up. Crucially, the refund is fully recoverable – meaning there is no net cost to anyone who returns their containers. It’s simply a smart way to get more money back into the community.

Beyond the direct cash for households, a 20c refund would support further funds for charities, sports clubs and community groups.

Emphasising the financial neutrality for consumers, Jeff Angel, Director of Boomerang Alliance, Australia’s peak circular economy non-profit, commented, “The consumer price impact will be neutral as it’s a refund. It’s a more meaningful incentive for more Australians to return their containers for recycling and get more money back in their pockets.”

Visit the newly launched 20 Cents Makes Sense campaign microsite today to learn more and join the call for this vital reform: 20centsmakessense.com.au. 

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About the 20 Cents Makes Sense campaign: The 20 Cents Makes Sense campaign is a collaborative effort by a broad coalition of industry, NGO, and community voices united by a shared commitment to improving Australia’s recycling outcomes and supporting local communities. Driven by evidence-led advocacy and a focus on effective policy change, the campaign aims to transform Australia’s Container Deposit Scheme into a world-class system that benefits the environment, economy, and everyday Australians.

About Container Deposit Schemes: These schemes offer cash back for cans and bottles. Once the beverage has been consumed and the container is empty, it can be returned to a designated collection point, where the refund of that deposit is redeemed. CDS are highly effective in reducing beverage container litter and boosting recycling rates by providing a financial incentive (currently 10¢ per container in Australia) for consumers to return their empty drink containers.