A container return scheme has been designed for New Zealand that’s based on global best practice, but the Government has not committed to setting up the scheme yet or passed the law and regulations needed to do so.
Surveys consistently show more than three quarters of New Zealanders want a take -back scheme for drink bottles, cans and cartons set up here. A 2025 poll conducted by IPSOS found 76% of New Zealanders supported the introduction of a scheme that included a small refundable deposit (e.g, 20c).
Voter support spans the political spectrum
Every party’s voters want a container return scheme for drink bottles, cans and cartons. August 2025 research conducted by IPSOS showed that voter support for introducing a scheme in New Zealand spans the political spectrum.
Support for a scheme mapped against voter intention: 80% National, 80% New Zealand First, 67% ACT, 76% Labour and 84% of Green.
“The research shows overwhelming support from voters across the political divide for a scheme that pays 20c, covers all types of drink containers and has drop off points everywhere. The survey showed people understand how it’ll work, if they buy drinks in bottles, cans or cartons they’ll also pay a little bit more.
It’s a good reminder that the Waste Act in 2008 passed with cross-party support. We’re optimistic politicians will again do the right thing.
The development work for a New Zealand Container Deposit Return Scheme has already been done. We hope MPs will take as common sense a view on a container deposit return scheme for New Zealand as their voters do.
With only 6% of kiwis opposed to a scheme, there’s no reason for the government not to proceed with this proven, popular and practical way to cut waste and litter.
Trend – Wide ranging and longstanding support
Reloop’s Sept 2025 fact sheet collated evidence from more than 200 opinion polls over the last 20 years. It found that public support for container return schemes is high and stable whether they’re being proposed, long established or being updated.
The popularity of a New Zealand scheme is in line with Reloop’s global research. This puts the support in a country looking at introducing a container return scheme at an average of 80%. The 76% poll result from 2025 is supported by:
Kantar’s 2023 survey found that a container return scheme is very appealing to New Zealand consumers, with positive support from 89% of respondents.
August 2022 Consumer research polling commissioned by Reloop and carried out by Kantar/Consumer Link found 78% in favour of introducing legislation. Reloop Platform. September 2022.
A Consumer NZ survey in February/March 2020 found strong support (78%) for a container return scheme. Supermarkets and collection depots like community recycling centres, waste and recycling facilities were the most preferred locations for returning containers. The New Zealand Container Return Scheme Draft Design Appendices (p.171)
98% of the 5,600+ submitters to the government’s Transforming Recycling public consultation supported the implementation of a container return scheme (including both detailed and pro-forma submissions). Redacted-cab-paper-agreement-to-implement-a-nz-crs-v2.pdf
A wide range of businesses, councils, recyclers and organisations asked the government to set up a scheme and offered to help get it up and running (Letter from 84 organisations 2025).
The majority of WasteMINZ members support introducing a scheme. “Introducing the container return scheme as soon as possible” was included as a key priority in their briefing to the incoming government (WasteMINZ Government Briefing 2023).
Local councils have consistently supported the introduction of a scheme for many years. The 2026 Local Government Waste Policy Manifesto strongly supports establishment of a scheme. Local Government New Zealand passed a remit to establish a scheme in 2018, with 96% of Mayors in favour (LGNZ 2018).
Notes
Detail on the August 2025 IPSOS poll – The study was conducted by Ipsos, using online research panels between 11 and 18 August 2025, with 1,002 New Zealanders aged 18 and older representing the adult New Zealand population. Quotas were set to ensure representativeness. The precision of Ipsos online surveys is calculated using a credibility interval. Here, the total New Zealand results have a credibility interval of +/-3.5 percentage points. For more information on the Ipsos use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website.
