Eco-efficiency is a concept which aims at decoupling economic growth from resource use and pollution. The objective of this paper is to review how the application of this concept to dairy processing has evolved over time. Following the introduction of the concept, guidelines and recommendations were introduced in the dairy sector. The absence of a lifecycle perspective and means of measuring improvement led to a subsequent addition of efficiency and intensity assessments. As restrictive regulations and comprehensive methodologies integrating the life-cycle perspective in eco-efficiency assessments were virtually non-existent, the ISO 14045 standard was developed. However, as of yet the dairy processing sector does not appear to have embraced the ISO methodology. Nonetheless, process simulation tools may help and could therefore contribute to the implementation of the eco-efficiency assessments in the dairy processing sector.