End of the twelve month extension for food labelled on the premises
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today reminded retailers and manufacturers that the twelve month extension of the requirement for food labelled on the ends on Saturday 20 December 2003.
On 20 December 2002 the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council gave a twelve month exemption from the requirements of the full labelling provisions for foods labelled on the premises for retail sale from which it is sold. An example of this type of food is a round of cheese purchased by a supermarket delicatessen, portioned, wrapped and put into a chilled display case for sale. The only exception was for those requirements that protect the safety of consumers in Standard 1.2.3-Mandatory Warning and Advisory Statements and Declarations, Standard 1.2.5-Date Marking of Package Food - use-by dates only and Standard 1.2.6-Direction for Use and Storage.
This exemption ends on the 20th of December 2003 Any food labelled on the premises for retail sale from which it is sold is required to comply, from the 20 December 2003 with the labelling provisions in Standards 1.2.1 through to Standard 1.2.10 (except where specific exemptions apply).
Food manufacturers and retailers have had since December 2000 to make these changes. The extension was granted as some retailers were unable to make the December 2002 deadline as they required a little further time to set up their equipment. At the time they reassured FSANZ that they could achieve these changes within twelve months.
15 December 2003