Food Standards Australia New Zealand

Country of Origin Labelling

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has now made recommendations to the Food Regulation Ministerial Council on country of origin labelling.  We are recommending a package of measures to strengthen country of origin requirements in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

The proposed measures give appropriate weight to informing consumers, exploring means for timely implementation, improving enforcement action and raising awareness, generally, through education and information campaigns.

Summary of key recommendations

Packaged foods

1.       the country where the food was produced or made or manufactured or packaged must be identified on the label*;

2.       subject to qualified claims for foods with multiple ingredients (see point 3 below) the actual country must be stated on the label, rather than  relying on a statement that the product is imported*;

3.       a range of statements is allowed, consistent with those allowed under trade practices law – for example, ‘made in…’, ‘product of…’ or a qualified claim such as ‘made in country X from local and imported ingredients’;

4.       the terms ‘made in…’ and ‘product of…’ must comply with trade practices legislation.

5.       the recommended standard does not go as far as declaring the country of origin of ingredients for mixed foods*;

Unpackaged foods

6.       requirements as for packaged foods, but applying to unpackaged and processed fruit, vegetables, seafood, pork and nuts;

7.       the application to pork is new to the Food Standards Code and has been included at the request of the pork industry and consumers;

8.       unpackaged foods will be required to have the country of origin stated on a label – eg a sticker on an orange – or have a sign adjacent to the product;

9.       the print size on the signs must be at least 9mm and the information should be set out legibly and prominently (eg in contrasting colours).

Benefits of the proposed requirements

The major benefit of the recommended country of origin arrangements will be to provide consumers with clear and unambiguous information on the source of a food product, both packaged and unpackaged.   Other benefits include:

  • unpackaged foods will now be treated in a like manner, whether locally produced or imported –   addressing a present inconsistency, and potential breach of Australia’s World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations, in the Food Standards Code;

  • the proposed requirements bring unpackaged foods into line with general labelling provisions in the Code;

  • consistency with trade practices legislation.

Likely introduction of the new arrangements

Food ministers are expected to consider FSANZ’s recommendations in late October 2005.   If the ministers do not seek a review, the new country of origin standard could become law as early as November 2005.

The food industry will then have a phase-in period, during which businesses will have to prepare and apply food labels and signage that comply with the new requirements:

  • Unpackaged fish, fruit, vegetables and nuts and packaged fresh produce
– within 6 months of the standard becoming law
  • Unpackaged pork products
– within 12 months
  • Other packaged foods
– within 2 years (with an additional 12 months for existing stocks)

Further information

Details of FSANZ’s consultation process and the reports prepared in response to these consultations can be obtained from the FSANZ website at www.foodstandards.gov.au.

FSANZ and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) intend to prepare a user guide to explain the relationship between trade practices and fair trading laws and the Food Standards Code.

FSANZ will also facilitate a consumer awareness program – for example, provision of country of origin information in the supermarkets.

* These points have been clarified on 7 October 2005 to assist understanding of the new country of origin labelling recommendations.

 

October 2005