Drinks sold in Singapore will have to meet new labelling requirements from Oct. 1, 2026, as the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS) moves into its full implementation phase.
This means retailers will no longer be allowed to sell regulated beverage containers that do not carry the required BCRS deposit mark and barcode.
Some retailers have already started reducing prices on drinks that do not carry the new markings as they work to clear their remaining stock before the deadline.
Some drinks discounted by up to 50 per cent
According to The Straits Times, certain drinks have been offered at discounts of as much as 50 per cent as retailers attempt to clear older inventory.
Checks by Mothership also found that some supermarkets were selling selected beverages at around 30 per cent below their usual prices.
Retailers told ST that the discounts are part of efforts to reduce stocks of containers that will no longer be permitted for sale once the transition period ends.
However, retailers are reportedly spacing out the discounts rather than releasing all the affected products at once, as they want to avoid flooding the market with heavily discounted drinks over the final weeks.
For shoppers, this could mean more discounted beverages appearing on supermarket shelves as the Sep. 30 deadline approaches.
BCRS starts fully from Oct. 1
The BCRS has been introduced to encourage consumers to return used beverage containers for recycling.
Under the scheme, customers pay an additional 10-cent deposit when purchasing an eligible drink.
They can then recover the deposit by returning the empty container to a designated Return Right machine, also known as a reverse vending machine.
The scheme applies to regulated plastic bottles and metal cans with capacities ranging from 150ml to 3 litres.
More than 1,000 return machines had been put into operation since Apr. 1, 2026, giving consumers locations where they can return their empty containers and claim their deposits.
Six-month transition period ending
A six-month transition period was provided to give beverage producers and retailers time to sell existing inventory and prepare for the new requirements.
That transition period ends on Sep. 30, 2026.
From the following day, regulated beverages cannot be supplied for sale in Singapore unless their containers carry the required BCRS deposit mark and barcode.
The requirement applies to beverage containers covered by the scheme, including products brought in through overseas suppliers.
Businesses could face fines and jail
The National Environment Agency (NEA), which administers the scheme, has warned that supplying regulated beverages without the required markings will constitute an offence from Oct. 1.
Those convicted may face a fine of up to S$10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three months.
Businesses with affected stock therefore have limited time to clear or properly label their inventory before the new requirements take effect.
For products that arrive without the required markings, such as certain beverages imported from overseas suppliers, the containers may be manually labelled or processed using a labelling machine.
Consumers will also start seeing more drinks carrying the Return Right logo and the 10-cent deposit mark as the scheme becomes fully operational.
The changes are part of Singapore’s wider efforts to increase beverage container recycling and encourage consumers to return used cans and bottles instead of throwing them away.