The tins will also feature a «contamination-proof» lid and spoon system, to guarantee the product on the inside matches brand labelling on the outside of the package.
Camperdown Dairy International (CDI) has introduced the features to counteract counterfeiting of its products and give consumers surety of product safety.
The company will use laser coding so that every tin has a unique identifier, matching it back to the batch it was produced from.
Consumers will be able to use their smart phones to scan the ‘Quick Response Code’, on the bottom of each tin, to access information about the authenticity of the product.
CDI milk powder manager Gavin Evans predicted other companies would be forced to follow suit.
«Over time we expect it’s quite likely this will be mandated,» Mr Evans said.
«As a new entry to the market, we’ve made sure we introduce our very first product into the market up there with this technology attached.
«We want to be at the forefront of that use of technology to give people confidence in the product they’re buying.»
Product counterfeiting rife in China
Australian dairy products are sold at a premium in China, marketed as a «clean, green, safe» option.
Health scares of the past, mean consumers are willing to pay more for Australian product, but Mr Evans said counterfeit operations threatened the strong reputation of the Australian dairy industry.
«It is a very real factor and the brand’s reputation is just paramount.»
Contamination-proof lids for peace of mind
When blackmailers threatened to contaminate New Zealand infant milk formula earlier this year, the safety of dairy products across the globe was questioned.
Camperdown Dairy International concedes safety can never be fully guaranteed, but the company has tried to make contamination as difficult as possible.
Mr Evans said the threat alone was enough to damage dairy industries in NZ and Australia.
«The more that you can invest in these risk mitigants, the better position you’re going to have in the market in terms of the consumers’ view of your product and its safety,» he said.
«Our product has got a special lid that shows it hasn’t been opened before and the scoop is embedded in a place that’s much more convenient for the consumer to get.»
Source: ABC