10-cent beverage container return scheme to kick off on April 1, 2026

Consumers will have to pay a refundable 10-cent deposit for bottled and canned drinks from April 1, 2026, a year later than originally announced.

- Natalie Tan

The request for the delay was made by beverage producers, who required more time to adjust to the changes, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in an update on July 31.

The beverage container return scheme was first announced in September 2022. Under the scheme, consumers will pay an extra 10 cents for bottled and canned drinks but will receive a full refund of the deposit when they return the empty beverage containers at designated return points.

Applied to all plastic bottles and metal cans ranging from 150ml to 3 litres, the scheme will run for seven years, from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2033, in line with the licensing validity period.

More than 1,000 return points will be located at supermarkets and other communal areas to increase convenience and facilitate a higher rate of return to boost recycling.