Clearer Food Labels Will Help Consumers

_{Ian Renton  | 05/05/2017 | Food Labels,Labelling Laws}

Last week, I heard a radio advertisement spruiking the advantage of clearer food labels to help consumers.

This government website is quite new and provides a simple explanation for all major producers of food products in Australia. I really recommend that you take the time to read over this site. http://www.foodlabels.industry.gov.au/ In summary, this website explains that food retailers should have the green kangaroo and a shaded table indicating the approximate percentage of ingredients, processing, etc which are done in Australia. It will look something like this. If your food is made entirely imported products and processes, then you cannot use the well known Australian made symbol, i.e. the golden kangaroo on a green triangle.

Instead your labels should simply state Product Of The Relevant Country. E.g. Product Of China. I did write about these new labelling laws in my blog of April 25, 2016 entitled New Laws For Food Labels Begin on July 1, 2016. Yes, the law did come into effect in 2016. However, there is a phase in period of two years which means you still have until July 1, 2018 to comply with the new food labelling labels.

More Laws For Food Labels

Of course, you are also required to comply with the regulations with regards to the actual ingredients of your food products as well as the use by date and directions for storage. To keep up to Australia's high health standards, it is your obligation to make sure your food labels are legal.

I have only glanced at the Food Standards Code relating to both food from Australia and New Zealand and the only exceptions that I could find to food labelling laws are unpackaged food and fresh fruit and vegetables. I am not a lawyer so you do need to do your own research with regards to these labelling laws. The links on these pages will help you to do this. The reason I provide this information is because Renton's Labels provides food labels to many Australian food producers and manufacturers and hence, you really need to have this information at your fingertips before designing and printing your food labels.

The purpose this blog is to highlight the country of origin laws for food labelling. These laws actually began on July 1, 2016 but will not be enforced until July 1, 2018.

Do not leave it to the last minute to redesign your food labels.