> Quick view: From 1 October 2026, any plastic bottle or metal can between 150ml and 3,000ml must carry the 10-cent Deposit Mark or it cannot legally be sold in Singapore. On 18 September, NEA said small retailers who genuinely need more time can register by 30 September for a grace period to 31 October. Non-profits distributing donated drinks get the same window on the same terms.
For six months, Singapore's shelves have carried two kinds of drinks: bottles and cans with the Deposit Mark, where you pay an extra 10 cents and can claim it back, and older stock without it, where you pay nothing extra and get nothing back. That transition period ends on 30 September 2026.
From 1 October, selling an unlabelled bottled or canned drink becomes an offence. The penalty is a fine of up to $10,000 and/or up to three months' jail.
What NEA announced on 18 September
NEA issued a statement and a circular to beverage producers and retailers, and the short version is that the deadline holds for everyone except the smallest shops, who can ask for four more weeks.
> "As the scheme moves into full implementation on Oct 1, we recognise that some small retailers, from neighbourhood convenience stores to family-run provision shops, may need a little more time to clear their existing stock of non-BCRS-labelled beverages," NEA said.
The terms:
| Who | What they get | What they must do |
|---|---|---|
| Small retailers (neighbourhood convenience stores, family-run provision shops) | Grace period to sell existing non-BCRS stock until 31 Oct 2026 | Register with NEA by 30 Sep 2026 at go.gov.sg/retailer-non-bcrs-stock-extension-request |
| Non-profit organisations | May distribute donated unlabelled bottles and cans to beneficiaries until 31 Oct 2026 | Register with NEA by 30 Sep 2026 at go.gov.sg/bcrs-registration-for-non-profit-organisations |
| Everyone else | No extension | Unlabelled stock cannot be sold from 1 Oct 2026 |
Two things to note. First, this is not automatic: NEA says submissions will be reviewed individually, and the grace period is meant for retailers who have "made genuine efforts and plans to deplete their existing stock". Second, the registration deadline (30 September) is earlier than the grace period it buys. A shop that misses 30 September has no route back in on 1 October.
Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Janil Puthucheary said in a Facebook post the same day that the scheme "is a collective effort", and that the intent is "bringing everyone along, including our small businesses who are the heartbeat of our neighbourhoods".
What this changes for you as a shopper
Nothing about the 10 cents itself. The consumer side of the scheme is unchanged: you pay an extra 10 cents on each eligible drink and get it back when you drop the empty container into a Return Right machine.
What changes is what you will see on shelves in October:
- At supermarkets and chain convenience stores, expect unlabelled drinks to be gone from 1 October. The big retailers have been clearing stock for weeks. The Straits Times reported on 15 September that some retailers and distributors, including Don Don Donki, were discounting unlabelled drinks by up to 50 per cent ahead of the 30 September deadline.
- At the provision shop downstairs, you may still find unlabelled drinks through October. That is legal only if the shop registered with NEA by 30 September.
- If a drink has no Deposit Mark, you were not charged the 10 cents, so there is nothing to claim back. The Return Right machine will reject it. Put it in the blue recycling bin instead.
So the practical rule for October: a cheap unlabelled drink is genuinely 10 cents cheaper, not a bargain with a refund attached. Check the container before you queue at a machine with it.
How the 10 cents actually comes back
This is the part most people get wrong at the machine, so it is worth spelling out from the scheme's own instructions.
What the machine accepts: pre-packaged plastic or metal containers, 150ml to 3,000ml, bearing the Deposit Mark, with an intact and scannable barcode, empty and not crushed. Insert one container at a time.
What it does not accept: anything without the Deposit Mark, glass bottles, paper cartons and pouches, crushed or flattened containers, freshly prepared drinks sold on the spot, powdered drinks in plastic containers, and foods for medical purposes.
How you get paid: only two ways. Scan your DBS PayLah! QR code (you do not need a DBS or POSB bank account to use PayLah!), or tap a physical SimplyGo EZ-Link card, including student and senior concession cards. A PayNow QR code will not work, and neither will the SimplyGo app or a NETS FlashPay card.
If something goes wrong: if the machine is full or faulty, report it on +65 6035 5882 and find the next return point. If a refund fails, photograph the machine screen or service ticket and email it to hi@returnright.sg with your full name, bank name and bank account number. Manual refunds can take up to 30 business days.
One more thing worth knowing: F&B outlets displaying the Return Right decal collect dine-in beverage containers without charging you the 10-cent deposit, either by serving the drink in a glass or by asking you to leave the container behind.
The fine print
- The 1 October date is the hard one. The extension is an application, not a right, and it runs only to 31 October 2026.
- The extension covers existing stock. It is not a licence to bring in new unlabelled stock in October.
- Registration for both schemes closes 30 September 2026.
- Rules, dates and eligibility here follow NEA's own statement and circular of 18 September 2026. Confirm anything that affects your business directly with NEA. This is general information, not legal or business advice.
