The legislation recognises two systems the for return and payment of refunds to consumers. Manufacturers/Wholesalers/Distributors seeking Container/Labelling approval should select one of the following;

Refund at Collection Depots

In support of an application for Container/Labelling approval that nominates 'Refund at Collection Depots' as the return system, manufacturers/wholesalers/distributors must assure the Authority that a satisfactory system is in place at Collection Depots for (1) the payment of refunds to consumers and (2) the collection and recycling of the empty containers.

Generally, the method used to achieve this is by,

ฅ Negotiation of a contractual arrangement with one of the recognised industry 'Super Collectors'. This involves the payment of deposits and 'handling fees' to the Super Collector' for the establishment of a collection system to recover containers sold by the applicant.

ฅ Ensuring that the 'Super Collector' provides written advice to the Authority confirming that a contractual arrangement is in place for a particular container/product.

In it's simplest form, the cycle of fee reimbursement/handling fees operates as follows:

ฅ Manufacturer/wholesaler/distributor remits deposits and handling fees to nominated 'Super Collector' as per the terms of the contractual arrangement. (Based upon an accepted industry return or recovery rate for a particular container type.)

ฅ Manufacturer/wholesaler/distributor applies these costs to the price of the product recouping any additional charges when the containers are sold.

ฅ Retailer passes the costs to the consumer as part of the purchase price.

ฅ Consumer (not necessarily the purchaser) redeems the deposit value at a Collection Depot.

Note

In addition to reimbursement for deposits paid to consumers, Collection Depots also receive a handling fee for processing the containers drawn from funds paid to the 'Super Collector' by the manufacturer/wholesaler/distributor.

...2/-

ฅ Non-refillable glass is 'culleted' (smashed) and returned to a glass maker for reuse.

ฅ Refillable glass containers are returned to the filler for washing and re-filling.

ฅ Aluminium and plastic (PET, PVC) containers are returned to the 'Super Collector' for auditing, baling and sale of the scrap material, the funds from which are retained by the 'Super Collector'.

Refund at 'Points of Sale'

In support of an application for Container/Labelling approval that nominates 'Points of Sale' as the return system, manufacturers/wholesalers/distributors must assure the Authority that a satisfactory system is in place with retailers for (1) the payment of refunds to consumers and (2) the collection and recycling of empty containers.

Generally, the method used to achieve this is by,

ฅ Manufacturers/wholesalers/distributors charge the deposit to the retailer who in turn passes this value on to the consumer.

ฅ Manufacturers/wholesalers/distributors reimburse the retailer for deposits refunded to consumers. Generally, this occurs when the empty containers are collected by the applicant who should then make appropriate arrangements for the containers to be re-used or recycled.

Note:

1. It is an offence under the Act for a retailer who sells a product with a refund marking that states that refund is available at 'Points of Sale' to refuse to honour the stated refund amount on a particular container.

2. Retailers who sell a beverage in a container with this manner of refund marking are obliged to refund deposits on any containers so marked irrespective of place of purchase.

3. Container Collection depots are not obliged to refund deposits on beverage containers which are marked with a refund statement - 'Refund at Points of Sale'.