South Australian food outlets will be able to give customers the option to bring their own reusable containers without public liability problems when new laws are passed in parliament today.

The changes to the Civil Liability Act 1936 will remove liability from cafes and supermarkets and the like for anything that goes wrong with food purchased and transported in a BYO container.

The amendment was introduced in the Legislative Council by Greens MLC Robert Simms and will be progressed by the Malinauskas Government through the House of Assembly today.

Businesses will still be able choose whether or not they will allow consumers to bring their own containers. The bill simply provides protection for the business and does not impose any requirement on them.

In the event a business does act in bad faith, including selling food not fit for consumption, or food subject to a recall order, then they will not be absolved from a civil liability.

The cost to the environment and the massive carbon footprint of single-use items can’t continue to be ignored if we want to properly address climate change.

Quotes

Attributable to Susan Close

This bill is another important step towards reducing the use of single-use items.

We know that food packaging waste carries an enormous cost for the environment.

Once the packaging has been disposed, it contributes to large quantities of landfill and can end-up in our waterways.

These changes also respond to the growing number of South Australian consumers wanting to reduce their use of single-use items.