Exchange for Change

What Exchange for Change does

Exchange for Change (EfC) is a private joint venture company, founded in 2017 and jointly owned by five major Australian beverage companies: Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Coca-Cola Amatil (now Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia), Coopers Brewery Limited, CUB Pty Ltd, and Lion Pty Ltd. The company serves as the government-appointed scheme coordinator for the New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory Container Deposit Schemes (CDS), operating as Return and Earn in NSW and the ACT CDS in the ACT. Through two separate legal entities (Exchange for Change (NSW) Pty Ltd, ACN 620 512 469; Exchange for Change (ACT) Pty Ltd, ACN 625 238 799), EfC manages the financial operations of both schemes under the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2001 (NSW) and the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Act 2016 (ACT), with headquarters in Rhodes, NSW.

The company's core operational platform is an online portal (portal.exchangeforchange.com.au) that enables beverage suppliers, exporters, and Material Recovery Facility (MRF) operators to register, submit monthly supply volume reports, and lodge refund claims. Supporting technology includes a quarterly-published eligible container factor methodology based on sampling data from MRFs and kerbside audits, and—deployed in June 2026—AI-based computer vision counting technology at ACT cash-back depots capable of processing up to 600 drink containers per minute. The consumer-facing Return and Earn mobile app enables participants to track returns and refunds via PayPal or bank transfer. Underlying product stewardship assets include contracted network operators (TOMRA Cleanaway for NSW, Return-It Canberra for ACT) and dedicated consumer brands (returnandearn.org.au, actcds.org.au).

EfC operates a transaction-fee revenue model, charging beverage suppliers per-container contributions that vary by material type. NSW contribution rates (Feb 2026-Jan 2027) range from 1.94c to 14.03c per container; ACT rates range from 2.78c to 17.71c. Consumers receive a fixed 10c refund per eligible container. Suppliers, exporters, and MRF operators serve as customer segments under a vertical segmentation approach, with mandatory participation for first suppliers under government mandate. Operational scale is substantial: 3.42 billion containers supplied into NSW and 138.5 million into ACT over a 10-month FYTD period (Jul 2025-Apr 2026), with redemption rates of 67% in NSW and 69% in ACT, and 8 in 10 NSW adults having participated in Return and Earn.

Name

Exchange for Change

Legal name

Exchange for Change (NSW) Pty Ltd and Exchange for Change (ACT) Pty Ltd

Website

https://exchangeforchange.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Exchange for Change is a joint venture scheme coordinator managing the NSW and ACT Container Deposit Schemes on behalf of beverage suppliers, network operators, and government. The company processes billions of containers annually through registration, reporting, and refund claim portals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Product Stewardship Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Waste Collection (5621)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Reusable Packaging & Refill Systems (Returnable Transport Items, Deposit/DRS Ops) (EUAIANAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Secondary Materials Brokerage & Trading (Recovered Commodities) (BPALADAJ)

Keywords

• Container deposit scheme
• Product stewardship services
• Recycling coordination
• Beverage container recovery
• Scheme coordination services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Supplier contributions (container deposit scheme): Beverage suppliers pay a per-container contribution for every drink container supplied into NSW and/or ACT. Contributions fund scheme operations and administration, including refunds to consumers, network operator payments, and scheme coordination. The contribution amount varies by material type (Aluminium, Glass, HDPE, PET, Liquid paperboard, Steel, Other plastics, Other materials). Fixed pricing model per container with rates updated annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Exchange for Change is the government-appointed scheme coordinator for the NSW (Return and Earn) and ACT container deposit schemes. The company collects per-container contributions from beverage suppliers, distributes funds to network operators (TOMRA Cleanaway in NSW and Return-It in ACT), and administers the end-to-end financial, reporting, and community education operations of the schemes. It also provides an online portal for supplier, exporter, and MRF operator registration, reporting, and refund claims, and supports AI-based container counting at cash-back depots.

Product overview

Exchange for Change operates as a dual-entity scheme coordinator managing two distinct container deposit schemes: the NSW Container Deposit Scheme (branded as Return and Earn) and the ACT Container Deposit Scheme. The core offering consists of coordinating these government-mandated product stewardship programs that enable 10-cent refunds on eligible drink containers. The company provides an integrated portal platform for suppliers, exporters, and Material Recovery Facility operators to manage registrations, reporting, and refund claims. Supporting services include financial operations management (collecting supplier contributions and distributing funds to network operators), marketing and community education, and audit and risk management. The company recently deployed AI-based counting technology at depots for automated container processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Return and Earn: The NSW Container Deposit Scheme brand name. Return and Earn is the NSW government's container deposit scheme operated by Exchange for Change as scheme coordinator.
• ACT Container Deposit Scheme

Products and services

• NSW Container Deposit Scheme (Return and Earn)

Quantifiable outcome

• 480 million eligible containers recycled since June 2018 in ACT
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Product Stewardship Centre of ExcellenceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 November 2025Exchange for Change joined the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence Partnership Program in November 2025. This partnership supports national harmonisation activities and best practice in product stewardship.
• Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Joint venture partner and shareholder. As one of five founding beverage company shareholders, Asahi helps establish and fund the NSW and ACT container deposit schemes. Combined experience in container deposit schemes worldwide.
• Coca-Cola Amatil (Aust) Pty Ltd (now Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Joint venture partner and shareholder. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is a founding shareholder and one of Australia's largest beverage companies, providing industry expertise and funding for the container deposit schemes.
• Coopers Brewery LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Joint venture partner and shareholder. Australia's largest independent brewer provides beverage industry perspective and funding for the container deposit scheme operations.
• CUB Pty LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Joint venture partner and shareholder. Carlton & United Breweries contributes beverage industry expertise and container deposit scheme funding as a founding shareholder.
• Lion Pty LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Joint venture partner and shareholder. Lion Dairy & Drinks provides beverage industry expertise and funding as a founding shareholder of the joint venture.
• TOMRA CleanawaycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork operator for the NSW Container Deposit Scheme (Return and Earn). Operates return points and collection depots across NSW where consumers return eligible containers for 10c refunds. Governed by agreement with Exchange for Change.
• Return-It (Canberra)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork operator for the ACT Container Deposit Scheme. Manages the collection depots and return points across the ACT. Governed by agreement with Exchange for Change.
• NSW Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScheme regulator for the NSW Container Deposit Scheme. Governs the scheme under the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2001 (NSW) and issues container approvals. Develops the scheme framework and enforces compliance.
• ACT NoWaste / Transport Canberra and City ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACT government body regulating the ACT Container Deposit Scheme under the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Act 2016. Manages the ACT Waste Manager role including MRF licensing and refund-sharing agreement approvals.
• Dalmarri (Aboriginal artist group)minorOthersAboriginal artist group commissioned to create bespoke artwork representing Exchange for Change's Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan journey.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Reloop Platform: Global policy and industry coalition advancing DRS and circular economy legislation. Comparable as an ecosystem participant shaping the regulatory framework within which EfC and similar scheme coordinators operate.
• Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR): Australian industry body representing recycling and resource recovery operators including DRS schemes. Comparable as the industry ecosystem body where EfC participates in national harmonisation discussions.

Emerging players

• TOMRA Cleanaway: Network operator for EfC's NSW scheme and a global reverse-vending technology and collection operator. Comparable because TOMRA provides both network operations and AI/RVM technology that overlaps with EfC's own counting tech deployment.

Regional players

• Circularity Scotland (formerly Zero Waste Scotland DRS programme): Scotland's deposit return scheme operator (scheme administrator role). Comparable as a UK/European DRS scheme coordinator handling supplier obligations and consumer refunds, though geographically distinct from EfC.
• Return-It (Canada): Canadian DRS network operator and technology provider serving British Columbia and other provinces. Comparable as a deposit-return scheme operator using similar AI/visual counting technology and consumer refund models, though geographically distinct.
• Re-turn (Ireland): Ireland's national DRS operator managing supplier fees, retailer obligations, and consumer refunds. Comparable as a national-scale deposit return scheme coordinator operating under similar producer-responsibility legislation.

Direct peers

• WA Return, Earn, Recycle: Western Australian container deposit scheme coordinator (formerly run by WA Return Earn). Direct peer operating the same DRS model with government-appointed coordinator status, network operators, and beverage supplier contributions.
• Recycle BC: British Columbia's extended producer responsibility and beverage container stewardship organization. Direct peer running a regulated producer-funded recycling scheme with a similar steward-of-supply model to EfC.
• VicReturn: Victorian container deposit scheme coordinator operating under similar state-level stewardship legislation. Most direct comparator as an Australian state-based DRS scheme coordinator managing supplier contributions and network operator payments.
• Container Exchange (Queensland): Queensland container refund scheme coordinator (Containers for Change). Direct peer running a near-identical DRS operating model with supplier contributions, network operators, and consumer refund payouts in another Australian state.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInau.linkedin.com/company/exchange-for-change-au

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Exchange for Change