New food labelling laws come into effect

If you sell any food products in Australian retail stores, all food products packaged from 1 July 2018 must display the new Country of Origin Labelling (CoOL).

The CoOL laws have applied to food products sold in retail stores in Australia from 1 July 2016. However, following a two-year transition period, display of the CoOL labels is to become mandatory as of 1 July 2018.

The new label Standard requires country of origin labels for food to comply with of one of two options:

Option 1

  • the kangaroo in a triangle symbol to enable consumers to quickly identify the food's Australian origin
  • the minimum proportion of Australian ingredients, indicated by a percentage amount and shown in a bar chart
  • a statement indicating what percentage of the food was grown or produced in Australia.

Option 2

  • the minimum proportion of Australian ingredients, indicated by a percentage amount and shown in a bar chart
  • a statement indicating what percentage of the food was grown or produced in Australia.

The new labels are not mandatory for non-priority foods such as seasonings, confectionery, biscuits and snack food, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. However, these products will still need to display a statement of origin on their packaging.

Failure to comply with the new labelling requirements may amount to misleading and deceptive conduct under Australian Consumer Law, attracting hefty fines from the consumer watchdog.

This publication does not deal with every important topic or change in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you have found this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact one of the named individuals listed.