Certification and labelling of dairy food products: An assessment of consumer awareness and purchase behaviour in Nagpur city

Abstract:

Dairy products occupy a central place in the daily diet of Indian households, and consumer confidence in these products is increasingly shaped by the certification and labelling information printed on their packaging. The present study was undertaken to examine consumer behaviour towards certification and labelling of dairy food products in Nagpur city, Maharashtra. A sample of 90 dairy product consumers, stratified into three age groups (up to 25 years, 26–50 years and above 50 years, with 30 respondents in each group), was selected through stratified random sampling and interviewed personally using a structured schedule during December 2025 to June 2026. The socio-economic profile revealed that male, educated (graduate/postgraduate) and service-employed consumers dominated the sample, with middle-income groups being most common. Milk was the most regularly purchased dairy product, mostly bought daily, and quality was rated as the foremost purchase-determining attribute ahead of price, taste, brand and certification. Younger consumers preferred branded products while older consumers leaned towards local milkmen; Amul and Dinshaw’s emerged as the most preferred brands. FSSAI was by far the most recognised certification (70–77% awareness across age groups) compared with AGMARK and organic certification. A majority of consumers read labels and checked product information while purchasing, chiefly for manufacturing and expiry dates rather than certification marks. Certification was found to positively influence trust, purchase decisions and willingness to pay a premium, particularly among younger and middle-aged consumers, and all respondents (100%) agreed that misleading labels erode their trust in dairy products. The study concludes that although consumer awareness of dairy certification and labelling in Nagpur city is reasonably good, it remains incomplete and skewed towards basic safety cues rather than certification literacy, indicating a clear need for targeted consumer education and simplified, transparent labelling by dairy manufacturers and regulators.