From 1 September 2025, South Australia will ban plastic stickers on fresh fruit and vegetable produce, including apples, pears, avocados, citrus and mangoes. Only Australian Standard (AS) certified compostable labels will be permitted on fresh produce sold in the state.
A temporary three-year exemption will apply until 31 August 2028 for stickers certified compostable to certain alternative standards. GS1 Australia has already successfully tested its GS1 DataBar on certified compostable labels, ensuring compliance with global standards. The organisation confirmed it has “compliant solution providers already capable of offering AS-certified compostable alternatives”.
Under the ban, compostable stickers must meet either AS 4736:2006 for industrial composting or AS 5810:2010 for home and industrial composting.
GS1 Australia is encouraging fresh produce suppliers to check their stock of non-compliant labels and make the switch to certified compostable options before the ban kicks in. Businesses should also manage future orders carefully to avoid leftover plastic stickers post-ban.
GS1 says that incorporating its DataBar on compostable labels will help improve supply chain traceability, reduce food waste, and provide consumers with product information through digital links, without the need for additional packaging.
While South Australia is the first Australian state to implement such a ban, other jurisdictions are considering similar measures. New South Wales is reviewing a proposal to require compostable stickers by 2030, and Tasmania is investigating phasing out stickers on fresh produce.
Globally, the European Union plans to transition to compostable fruit stickers by 2028, and New Zealand is considering regulatory changes that would require all produce labels, including adhesives, to be home-compostable by July 2028.
GS1 Australia says this shift towards compostable labelling is part of a broader move towards better sustainability and labelling standards in the fresh produce industry.
