Country of origin labelling

Definition

Country of origin labelling describes the country or countries where the food was grown, manufactured or packaged.

It is not required for foods sold for immediate consumption by restaurants, canteens, caterers or self-catering institutions.

How country of origin labelling is regulated

 Under Standard 1.2.11 under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Packaged food

A statement on the package must clearly state where the food was made or produced, or packaged for retail sale. Product for retail sale must also state whether it contains imported or local ingredients or a mixture of local and imported ingredients.

Fresh food in clear packages & unpackaged food

Some unpackaged foods for retail sale need a label to identify:

• the country or countries of origin of the food (including Australia), or
• that the foods are a mix of local and/or imported foods.
   

Unpackaged foods requiring such a label are:

• fresh fish, either singly or mixed with one or more other foods; see also unpackaged seafood
• fish that has undergone any other processing
• fresh pork & pork preserved by any process (except where the pork is mixed with food other than those used in preserving the pork and fresh or preserved fruit or fresh or processed fish)
• whole or cut fruit & vegetables, fresh or preserved by any means (except where the preserved fruit and vegetables have been mixed with foods other than those used in preserving the vegetables and fresh or preserved pork or fresh or processed fish); see also country of origin labelling for fruit & vegetable retailers (pdf, 234KB)
• whole or cut fruit & vegetables displayed in a package that does not obscure their nature or quality. Nuts, legumes, herbs, spices and mushrooms are classified as vegetables under the Code.

Made in…, Product of…

Standard 1.2.11 follows the principles of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cwlth) relating to false and misleading representations about the place of origin of goods. The Trade Practices Act specifies when statements such as ‘product of’ or ‘made in’, can be used.

• ‘Product of’, ‘produce of’ and ‘produced in’ are premium claims. The country claimed must be the origin of each significant ingredient of the food and virtually all the process of manufacture of the food must have happened in that country.
• ‘Made in’ and ‘manufactured in’ can be used only if the food has been ‘substantially transformed’ in the country claimed and at least 50% of the cost of production must have been incurred in that country.
• Qualified claims such as ‘made in Australia from imported ingredients’ or ‘packaged in Australia from local and imported ingredients’ can be used where uncertainty exists around the ‘substantial transformation’, the 50% production costs or variability due to seasonal changes of the produce.

Size & legibility

Statements must be:

• in English
• legible to the average consumer, and
• distinct from the background.
   

Signs for unpackaged goods must be in type size of at least 9 mm.