A Senate committee established in 2011 to inquire into Australia’s food processing sector has released its report and recognised the need for improvements to country of origin labelling.
The Senate Select Committee on Australia’s Food Processing Sector Inquiry into Australia’s food processing sector recognised that country of origin confusion makes it difficult for consumers to make informed decisions about buying Australian food.
According to the committee’s report, “the current confusion around the labelling regime is unacceptable and may mislead consumers who seek information about the origin of their food.”
The committee singled out the December 2011 decision by food and health ministers to reject the Blewett Review recommendation of a separate framework for food country of origin claims and instead suggests a consumer education campaign might be considered.
Clearing up the country of origin confusion was a major focus of CHOICE’s Better Food Labelling Campaign as we know that many consumers find terms like “Made in Australia” and “Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients” unhelpful and confusing.
CHOICE is pleased that the Senate committee recognised the need for both simplification and clarification of the current country of origin labelling laws and we will continue to call for these improvements so consumers can make informed decisions about the food they buy.
The Senate committee also reported on issues affecting the food processing sector like labour supply, biosecurity measures, innovation and trade.