After an extended period of grace for brands whose flexible packaging carried the REDcycle and Return to Store labelling, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) has notified all members participating in the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) program that this labelling must now be removed from all soft plastic packaging.
The change is currently only for Australian ARL users, not New Zealand.
Throughout the transition period, businesses had been encouraged to take proactive steps to update these labels across the market. APCO says it understands that this transition has required time and effort, and that it remains committed to supporting members in managing this change, while also helping to reduce unnecessary waste. However, organisations now displaying outdated REDcycle or Return to Store labels, whether on packaging, in-store materials, or digital marketing, may be at risk under Australian Consumer Law.
According to APCO, businesses with remaining REDcycle stock beyond 1 July should notify the Organisation’s Compliance Team at arlcompliance@apco.org.au. This is required for tracking and determining next steps, regardless of whether 1 July is being used as a manufacturing or on-shelf cut-off date.
For businesses that cannot fully transition by this date, APCO says they will have to provide a clear timeline for when affected SKUs will be updated; and an estimated date by which affected stock will no longer be available for sale
APCO also suggests that if a business had ever used the REDcycle/Return to Store labels, then it should complete the REDcycle transition survey, which closes on 30 September 2025.
As with previous REDcycle surveys, aggregated, de-identified data will be shared with the ACCC to track industry progress.
Currently, APCO is conducting on-shelf packaging audits as part of its commitment to accurate recycling information and robust governance for the ARL.
This includes soft plastics with mentions of REDCycle and Return to Store labelling.
If you've spotted outdated labels on packaging, you can let APCO know via this link.
