V.MFS.0007 - Meat Packaging Product Stewardship
By championing a product stewardship approach, MLA and its members can drive a leadership position that fosters innovation, sustainability and circularity while navigating the changing regulations.
| Project start date: | 01 March 2024 |
| Project end date: | 28 August 2025 |
| Publication date: | 29 October 2025 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | National |
|
Download Report
|
|
Summary
MLA collaborated with The Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence in establishing a meat packaging supply chain stakeholder forum to share knowledge and collaborate on packaging stewardship initiatives. This involved identifying stakeholders and bringing them together through several roundtable discussions to explore and understand the current red meat packaging formats, proposed regulatory reforms and potential solutions and opportunities to improve the sustainability of red meat packaging.
Objectives
To provide strategic advice and support to deliver the following:
1. Support facilitation of Round Table next steps workshop planned for Q3 2023/24
2. Support development of Meat Packaging Product Stewardship Terms of Reference
3. High level stakeholder engagement plan
4. Assist with the development of a collaborative plan to support outcomes of the next steps/future planning identified by the stakeholders and agreed by MLA.
Key findings
- Establish a meat packaging supply chain stakeholder forum to share knowledge and collaborate on packaging stewardship initiatives.
- Development of the Meat Packaging Stewardship Framework with the support of the red meat packaging supply chain stakeholders.
Benefits to industry
Through the process of establishing a Red Meat Packaging Stewardship there is now a much greater understanding of red meat packaging sustainability challenges, proposed regulatory reforms, potential solutions and pathways to increase packaging sustainability. Additionally, this project has supported greater collaboration across the supply chain to address the challenges in line with the MLA Red Meat Packaging Stewardship Framework.
MLA action
MLA’s participation in product stewardship initiatives has involved extensive research, industry leading workshop participation and the development of a comprehensive framework to guide innovation throughout the red meat packaging supply chain network. Collaboratively, this approach will support the Australian red meat industry to continue to explore methods to modify packaging design to be more sustainable in line with the agreed Meat Packaging Stewardship Forum.
Future research
V.MFS.0008 has commenced for another 12 months of continued partnership support provided by The Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence.
More information
| Project manager: | Alicia Waddington |
| Contact email: | reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | Product Stewardship Centre of Excel |
