Beverage giants Carlton and United, Lion and Coca-Cola colluded in a secret plan to attack the Baird government's proposed cash for containers recycling scheme, leaked emails reveal.

A group of 15 company executives and industry lobbyists held regular conference calls, and circulated emails, as they shared tactics and reported back on their meetings with politicians.

Premier Mike Baird leads Luke Foley as preferred premier by 54 per cent to 24 per cent with 22 per cent uncommitted. Credit:Jane Dyson

A "to do" list shared among the rival companies in December included Lion calling on Victorian environment minister Lisa Neville and Coca-Cola asking Queensland Premier Campbell Newman to "reach out" to the NSW Environment Minister Rob Stokes to get him to change his mind.

They also sought to enlist key Liberal Party figures including federal MPs Greg Hunt, Angus Taylor, Josh Frydenberg and Craig Laundy, as well as Barry O'Farrell's former chiefs of staff Anna McPhee and Peter McConnell, now a Woolworths executive, to "assist with NSW".