Nutrition information requirements: food outlets

New laws introduced in NSW on 1 February 2011 require larger fast food and snack food chains to display nutrition information at the point of sale.

From 1 February 2012, businesses can be fined if they are found to be in breach of these laws.

This initiative is promoted to consumers as 8700.com.au

Standard food items and outlets

The laws apply to ‘standard food outlets’, ie ones that sell ‘standard food items’, which are defined as being:

• ready-to-eat foods (not pre-packaged),
• sold in single or multiple serves that are standardised for portion size and content, and
• shown on a menu (printed or electronic) or displayed with a price or label

A standard food outlet only needs to comply with these new laws if they have 20 or more locations in NSW (or 50 or more locations nationally).

Examples of typical standard food outlets include:

• Quick service restaurants
• Pizza chains
• Coffee chains
• Bakery chains
• Ice-cream chains
• Doughnut chains
• Beverage chains
• Salad chains
• Supermarket chains (supermarkets have until 1 February 2013 to comply)

Information that needs to be displayed

These outlets are required to display the average energy content (expressed in kilojoules) of standard food items as well as the reference statement ‘The average adult daily energy intake is 8700 kJ’.

For details of the display requirements see the Fast Choices User Guide.

Trial products

Standard food outlets that trial new product concepts at no more than five stores for no more than sixty consecutive days are not required to display the nutrition information for these items.

Supermarkets

Supermarkets have until 1 February 2013 to display nutrition information at the point of sale.

Products sold in supermarkets that are affected by the laws include:

• Hot chickens
• Deli salads
• Hot deli meals
• Bread/bakery items loose packed in store (eg cheese and bacon rolls, custard tarts, donuts, whole cakes)

Standard food outlets that do not need to comply with these new laws may choose to voluntarily display this nutrition information. However, if they do so, the information must be displayed in accordance with the mandatory requirements.

Resources to help businesses

• Fast choices user guide (pdf, 1.53MB) (updated version will be available soon) which includes information on: 
  • the requirements of the legislation and how businesses can comply
  • answers to questions raised by business
• Nutrition information requirements for food outlets (pdf, 45KB)
• In-store consumer brochures: 8700 kilojoules a day order flyers