A new ACCC-backed scheme could see soft plastic recycling soon return to major retailers following years of limbo. The ACCC has issued a draft determination proposing to authorise a voluntary, industry-led scheme to collect and recycle soft plastic packaging from consumers, in a move aimed at tackling one of Australia’s biggest recycling challenges. The scheme, to be run by Soft Plastics Stewardship Australia (SPSA), will target items such as shopping bags and food wrappers. Initial members include Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Nestlé, Mars and McCormick Foods. “It is clear that many Australians are concerned about the environmental impacts of soft plastic packaging and want to recycle it,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said. The move comes after REDcycle collapsed in November 2022, following revelations it had stockpiled over 11,000 tonnes of soft plastics in warehouses across the country. In response many REDcycle partners like Coles halted the sale of soft-plastic bags after the collapse left no…

Australia’s manufacturing sector stands at a pivotal moment. Contributing approximately 5.9 per cent to national GDP and employing over 850,000 people this year, the sector has rebounded from pandemic disruptions but faces new pressures. More than 60 per cent of manufacturers are experiencing delays in essential materials, according to the Australian Industry Group, while rising energy costs and skills shortages compound operational challenges. Yet this turbulent landscape is creating unexpected opportunities for FMCG manufacturers willing to rethink their sourcing strategies. The Federal Government’s $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund signals renewed commitment to local manufacturing capability. For FMCG companies, the question is no longer whether to manufacture locally or offshore; it’s about creating intelligent hybrid models that leverage the strengths of both approaches. When local production actually matters The conventional wisdom about Australian consumers’ loyalty to local products deserves scrutiny. In low-involvement, processed categories like confectionery and chocolate, origin is typically secondary to taste, brand…

On the outskirts of Brisbane, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ (CCEP) has unveiled its latest investment in its Richlands facility. The $75 million can line, primarily for Monster Energy products, is the largest line for CCEP globally, with the capability to process up to 120,000 cans per hour. CCEP Australia managing director, Orlando Rodriguez, told Food & Drink Business the investment was the latest for the company’s local presence.     “Today celebrates the next huge milestone in our commitment to Australia. For almost 90 years we’ve been manufacturing and selling beverages that Australians know and love – and it culminates today, in a category that is absolutely exploding. “Over the last 10 years we have doubled down on beverages, put our money where our mouth is, and invested more than $900 million in the Australian supply chain. It’s predominantly been in manufacturing, systems, and logistics, and there is more to come because we have…

On 26 August 2025, new laws will start for small businesses and their employees. These changes relate to the right to disconnect and the ‘employee choice’ pathway for casual employees. There may be times a small business employer and their employee have a dispute about these new laws. They should always try and resolve these disputes in their workplace first. If they can’t, we may be able to help resolve the dispute. Right to disconnect The right to disconnect starts on 26 August 2025 for small businesses and their employees. This means that employees can refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact or attempted contact outside their working hours, unless their refusal is unreasonable. Watch our video Understand the right to disconnect. We can help small business employers and their employees resolve disputes about the right to disconnect that can’t be resolved in the workplace. See Right to disconnect…

TOKYO — Nearly three weeks after Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (ACT) withdrew its proposal to acquire Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd., 7-Eleven Inc.‘s parent company is reaffirming its commitment to its standalone value creation plan. In a strategy briefing held on Aug. 6 in Tokyo, CEO Stephen Dacus revealed Seven & i plans to open 1,300 new convenience stores in North America and around 1,000 locations in Japan through the year ending February 2030, as Kyodo News reported. For fiscal year 2024, Seven & i operated nearly 26,000 stores in Japan, while subsidiary 7-Eleven Inc. operated, franchised and/or licensed more than 13,000 stores in the United States and Canada. The company expects the expansion would bolster revenue in fiscal 2030 to 11.3 trillion yen (roughly $76.5 billion), more than 1 trillion yen more than fiscal 2024.  “It is extremely important that we undergo changes now,” said Dacus, who became the company’s first foreign CEO in May. “We will change…