(a) A beverage manufacturer shall clearly indicate on all beverage containers sold or offered for sale by that beverage manufacturer in the state the message “CA Redemption Value,” “California Redemption Value,” “CA Cash Refund,” “California Cash Refund,” or “CA CRV,” by either printing or embossing the beverage container or by securely affixing a clear and prominent stamp, label, or other device to the beverage container.

(b) A refillable beverage container sold or offered for sale is exempt from this section. However, a beverage manufacturer or container manufacturer may place upon, or affix to, a refillable beverage container any message that the manufacturer determines to be appropriate relating to the refund value of the beverage container.

(c) A person shall not offer to sell, or sell, to a consumer, a beverage container subject to subdivision (a) that has not been labeled pursuant to this section, except for a refillable beverage container that is exempt from labeling pursuant to subdivision (b).

(d) The department may require that a beverage container intended for sale in the state be printed, embossed, stamped, labeled, or otherwise marked with a scan code, a quick response (QR) code, or a universal product code or similar machine-readable indicia.

(e) A beverage container labeled with the message specified in subdivision (a) shall have the minimum redemption payment established pursuant to Section 14560, which shall be paid by the distributor to the department pursuant to Section 14574.

(f) (1) Notwithstanding any other requirement of this section, all of the following shall apply:

(A) A beverage container that is included within the scope of this division beginning on January 1, 2024, but that was not subject to this division before that date, shall be exempt from the labeling requirements of this section until July 1, 2025.

(B) A beverage container that is included within the scope of this division beginning on January 1, 2024, but that was not subject to this division before that date, and that was filled and labeled before January 1, 2024, shall be exempt from the labeling requirements of this section.

(C) A beverage container containing a beverage described in paragraph (7) or (9) of subdivision (a) of Section 14504 that is included within the scope of this division beginning on January 1, 2024, but that was not subject to this division before that date, and that was filled and labeled before July 1, 2024, shall be exempt from the labeling requirements of this section.

(2) A beverage container described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1) shall be considered an “empty beverage container” for purposes of this division as of January 1, 2024.

(g) Notwithstanding any other requirement in statute or regulation, including, but not limited to, paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 2200 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, wine and distilled spirit manufacturers licensed pursuant to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (Division 9 (commencing with Section 23000) of the Business and Professions Code) shall not be required to provide samples of proposed labels or beverage containers to the department for approval before the sale or transfer of beverage containers in the state. The department shall provide the relevant labeling criteria to those wine and distilled spirit manufacturers, which the manufacturers shall use to self-certify compliance with that criteria on their registration materials submitted to the department under this division. A manufacturer may request assistance from the department in determining compliance with the labeling criteria.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 868, Sec. 9. (SB 353) Effective October 13, 2023.)