Politics · Australia · 2 hrs ago
New South Wales drops planned cafe cup rules after backlash
New South Wales will drop two planned cafe cup rules after small businesses criticised the costs and requirements.
The rules would have required cafes to offer mugs or glasses to customers dining in from 2028 and businesses to join a reusable cup scheme or face a fine of up to $110,000.
The government reversed course a week after the laws passed parliament, following criticism from small businesses and media.
The rules were part of a plan to reduce plastic waste, as Sydney’s landfill is projected to run out by 2030.
Other cup rules will stay in place: businesses must accept customers’ clean reusable cups, and single-use takeaway cups must be recyclable by 2028.
The laws will not be repealed until after the March 2027 election, and the environment minister has asked the state regulator to clarify that the dropped changes will not proceed.
The New South Wales government will drop planned rules requiring cafes to offer dine-in customers mugs or glasses instead of takeaway cups.
It will also ditch a requirement for businesses to join a reusable cup scheme, which carried a possible fine of up to $110,000.
The reversal came a week after the legislation passed parliament, following criticism from small businesses and News Corp Australia.
Rules requiring businesses to accept customers’ clean reusable cups and make single-use takeaway cups recyclable by 2028 will remain.
The government says it will repeal the abandoned rules after the March 2027 election.
- Who
- The New South Wales government, led by Premier Chris Minns.
- What
- It will abandon planned dine-in mug and glass requirements and a mandatory reusable cup scheme.
- When
- The reversal was announced on Wednesday, 28 October 2026; the legislation passed a week earlier.
- Where
- New South Wales, Australia.
- Why
- The government cited pressure on small businesses, following backlash over the rules.
New South Wales government
New South Wales opposition
Regulation
New South Wales government
The government said it would drop the planned requirements after backlash from small businesses.
New South Wales opposition
The opposition said the laws added regulation that was “suffocating NSW businesses”.
The legislation passed parliament.
Chris Minns defended the legislation in a 2GB interview.
Penny Sharpe said the government would repeal the planned mug and glass rules and the potential fine.
The legislation is due to be repealed.
- Potential fine
- Up to $110,000
- Dine-in cup rules
- Would have required cafes to offer mugs or glasses from 2028
- Takeaway cup recyclability
- Requirement remains for 2028
- Legislation repeal
- Planned after the March 2027 election
What people are saying
We know small businesses are under pressure and we want them to be able to operate in the way that they need to operate, to run their business
No, we don’t, and that’s why it’s really important that we need to clear this up
I use disposable cups, most people use disposable cups