Dairysafe recently brought together representatives from industry, SA Health and the University of Adelaide for a collaborative focus group examining how dairy labelling conventions influence food safety, consumer behaviour and waste.
The session was led by University of Adelaide PhD candidate Jai En Sit, whose research is exploring how labelling can be better harmonised to support both industry consistency and consumer understanding.
With Australia producing an estimated 7.68 million tonnes of food waste each year, including 0.71 million tonnes attributed to dairy products, the session highlighted the important role of clear and consistent labelling in reducing waste.
Milk waste alone represents the third-highest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among food commodities after red meat and complex products.
Research presented during the session showed that consumer confusion around date marking, storage statements and directions for use is common internationally, with many people reporting they discard food earlier than necessary because they do not understand the label.
This behaviour increases household food waste and contributes to unnecessary economic and environmental costs. In Australia, dairy waste from consumption sectors carries a financial impact of approximately $555 million annually.
Exploring current practices
The focus group provided a platform for participants to share how they currently apply:
- Statements of Storage Conditions (SSC)
- Directions for Use (DFU)
- Temperature guidance
- Date Marking (Use By/Best Before dates)
“Attendees also reviewed mock dairy labels to examine how formatting, placement and wording affect consumer interpretation,” said Dairysafe CEO Mel Jackson. “These exercises prompted constructive discussion about the enablers and barriers to achieving more consistent and harmonised labelling across the dairy sector.”
Jai En presented early findings from her multi-stage research project, which includes:
- A review of dairy labelling regulations and conventions across five countries.
- Analysis of more than 500 dairy product labels across South Australian supermarkets.
- A survey of South Australian dairy manufacturers.
This work aims to identify commonalities and differences in current practices and to understand where refinements could support clarity, compliance and waste reduction.
Mel said the focus group session at Dairysafe was an important step in bringing industry, government and researchers together to tackle a complex issue.
“Clear, consistent labelling is essential not only for consumer safety but also for reducing unnecessary waste. We’re proud to support research that may help provide practical improvements across the dairy supply chain,” Mel said.
Feedback collected during the session will be used to refine the research team’s ongoing work, helping identify potential future labelling improvements and opportunities for harmonisation across dairy product categories.
For more information about the research, contact the University of Adelaide project team via email at jiaen.sit@adelaide.edu.au or helen.morris@adelaide.edu.au.
