Food Labelling Issues:
On-going Food Label Monitoring Survey in Australia and New Zealand
Report ‘Assessment of 2005 Labels for Key Mandatory Labelling Elements for Consistency against Labelling Provisions (Phase 2 Report)’
Evaluation Report Series No. 17
The Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s (FSANZ) 2005 report on labelling has now been released.
Label monitoring surveys have been commissioned by FSANZ since 2002 to assess how food manufacturers are managing key labelling requirements set out in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code). Correct labelling is a key objective of the FSANZ Act 1991 to ensure consumers have adequate information to help them make informed choices.
The results of this ongoing survey will assist FSANZ assess the effectiveness of current labelling regulatory measures and also provide evidence to inform future decisions on labelling laws, as part of the standards development process.
This report covers a survey of 1399 food labels collected in Australia and New Zealand in 2005 to determine the degree of consistency with the labelling requirements of the Code for 12 key label elements and, where labels were inconsistent with the Code, the nature of the inconsistency with labelling provisions for those label elements assessed. The survey also enabled the gathering of data on other label information of interest.
The report presents the results from the assessment of labels collected in 2005 and, where possible, compares them with results from an earlier label collection in 2003 (findings presented in Evaluation Report Series No. 10 ‘Food Labelling Monitoring Survey: Phase 1 Pilot Report’).
It should be noted ongoing label monitoring surveys are not being conducted for enforcement purposes, as this is the responsibility of the governments of Australia and New Zealand and the Australian States and Territories, and not FSANZ.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overview of the consistency status of labels collected in 2005, by label element
Overview of the consistency status of labels collected in 2005, by food category
Overview of the comparison of label assessments on labels collected in 2003 and 2005
2. PURPOSE OF THE FSANZ FOOD LABEL MONITORING SURVEY
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1 Sampling
3.2 Data collection
3.3 Data security and confidentiality
3.4 Label assessments
3.4.1 Legibility of print
3.4.2 Product identification
3.4.3 Mandatory warning and advisory statements
3.4.4 Allergen labelling
3.4.5 Ingredient declaration
3.4.6 Date marking
3.4.7 Directions for use and storage
3.4.8 Nutrition information requirements
3.4.9 Percent characterising ingredients
3.4.10 Altered label
3.4.11 Product specific labelling
3.4.12 Country of Origin
3.4.13 Trade practices legislation
3.5 Limitations of this survey
3.5.1 Potential bias
3.5.2 Comparison with previous survey data
4. RESULTS & DISCUSSION
4.1 Assessment of labels collected in 2005
4.1.1 Overall consistency of labels collected from Australia and New Zealand by food category
4.1.2 Overall consistency of labels collected from Australia and New Zealand by label element
4.1.3 Overall consistency of labels collected from Australia and New Zealand by import status
4.2 Assessment of key label elements on labels collected in 2005
4.2.1 Assessment of Legibility of labels collected in 2005
4.2.2 Assessment of Product identification requirements on labels collected in 2005
4.2.3 Assessment of Mandatory warnings and advisory statements on labels collected in 2005
4.2.4 Assessment of Allergen labelling on labels collected in 2005
4.2.5 Assessment of Ingredient declarations on labels collected in 2005
4.2.6 Assessment of Date marking on labels collected in 2005
4.2.7 Assessment of Directions for use and storage on labels collected in 2005
4.2.8 Assessment of Nutrition information requirements on labels collected in 2005
4.2.9 Assessment of Percent characterising ingredient labelling requirements on labels collected in 2005
4.2.10 Assessment of Altered labels collected in 2005
4.2.11 Assessment of Product specific labelling on labels collected in 2005
4.2.12 Assessment of labels collected in 2005 against the new Country of Origin Labelling provisions
4.2.13 Assessment of labels collected in 2005 against Trade practices legislation
4.3 Key comparisons between labels collected in 2003 and 2005
4.3.1 Overall consistency of labels collected in 2003 and 2005 by food category
4.3.2 Overall inconsistencies of labels collected in 2003 and 2005 by label element
4.3.3 Overall consistency of labels collected in 2003 and 2005 by import status
4.3.4 Comparison of Legibility of labels collected in 2003 and 2005
4.3.5 Comparison of Date marking on labels collected in 2003 and 2005
4.3.6 Comparison of Percent characterising ingredients labelling requirements on labels collected in 2003 and 2005
5. REFERENCES
6. GLOSSARY OF DEFINITIONS
Appendix 1. Food label collection method
Appendix 2. List of product labels collected, by food category
Appendix 3. Criteria for assessment of severity of NIP inconsistencies for labels collected in 2005
Appendix 4. Assessment of severity of NIP inconsistencies for labels collected in 2005