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Country of origin labelling

Country of origin labelling Country of origin labelling requirements in Australia The Australian Government introduced a country of origin food labelling system under Australian Consumer Law on 1 July 2016. Country of origin labelling requirements for food is in the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016, under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. These requirements became mandatory on 1 July 2018. At the same time, the Food Standards Code was amended to remove country of origin labelling requirements. Further information on country of origin food labelling is available on the following websites:

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  Published December 2023

Fish names

Fish names The Food Standards Code does not define names for fish. The seafood industry has worked with Standards Australia to develop an Australian Fish Names Standard which provides guidance on standard fish names to be used in Australia. You can purchase electronic or hard copies of the standard (AS -SSA 5300) from the SAI Global website. A searchable database of Australian Fish Names is available on the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation website. Common Māori and scientific names for fish species in New Zealand are available from the Ministry for Primary…

Published February 2024

Ingredient lists and percentage labelling

Ingredient lists and percentage labelling Ingredient lists Ingredients must be listed in descending order (by ingoing weight). This means that when the food was manufactured, the first ingredient listed contributed the largest amount and the last ingredient listed contributed the least. For example, if sugar is listed near the start of the list the product contains a greater proportion of this ingredient. If the product contains added water, it must be listed in the ingredient list according to its ingoing weight, with an allowance made for any water lost during processing, e.g. water lost as steam. The only exceptions are when the added water:

• makes up less than 5% of the finished product,
• is part of a broth, brine or syrup that is listed in the ingredient list, or
• is used to…

  Published December 2023

Nutrition content claims and health claims

Nutrition content claims and health claims Nutrition content claims and health claims are voluntary statements made by food businesses on labels and in food advertising. Standard 1.2.7 sets out requirements for making these claims. Nutrition content claims Nutrition content claims are about the content of certain nutrients or substances in a food, such as 'low in fat' or 'good source of calcium'. These claims need to meet certain criteria. For example, food with a 'good source of calcium' claim  needs to contain at least the amount of calcium specified in the Standard. Health claims Health claims are about the relationship between a food and health effects. All health claims must be supported by scientific…

Published December 2023

Allergen labelling for consumers

Allergen labelling for consumers Some foods and ingredients can cause allergic reactions including anaphylaxis, immune reactions such as in Coeliac disease, and other adverse health reactions such as asthma. From 25 February 2024, food businesses are required to meet new plain English allergen labelling requirements for how certain foods known to be common allergens are declared. These changes will mean food allergen information is clearer and easier to find on food labels. If a food was packaged and labelled before the 25 February 2024, and it does not declare allergens in the new required format, then it can still be sold for another two years (until 25 February 2026). Allergen labelling still…

Published February 2024

Labelling information for consumers

Labelling information for consumers Food labels can provide a wide range of information to help consumers make food choices. Food labels also help to protect public health and safety by displaying information such as use by dates, ingredients, certain allergens, instructions for storage and preparation, and advisory and warning statements. FSANZ sets standards for what information must be on food labels. Related links 

• Labelling information for food businesses

Published December 2023

Energy labelling of alcoholic beverages

Energy labelling of alcoholic beverages In response to a request from food ministers, FSANZ has been exploring energy labelling of alcoholic beverages. In June 2021, FSANZ completed an evidence assessment, including a literature review on consumer value, understanding and behaviour relating to energy labelling of alcoholic beverages, which:

• identified that, unlike most other packaged food and beverages, labels on most packaged alcoholic beverages do not provide information about energy content to enable consumers to make informed choices in line with dietary guidelines, and
• concluded that in the context of Australian and New Zealand dietary guidelines and ministerial policy guidance, labelling is an appropriate approach to address this issue.
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Published December 2023

Health Star Rating System

Health Star Rating System The Health Star Rating (HSR) is a voluntary front-of-pack labelling system that rates the overall nutritional profile of packaged food and assigns it a rating from ½ a star to 5 stars. It provides a quick, easy, standard way to compare similar packaged foods. The more stars, the healthier the choice. The HSR system was implemented in Australia and New Zealand in June 2014, and is jointly funded by Australian, state and territory and New Zealand governments. See the Health Start Rating system website…

Published December 2023

Labelling poster - how to read food labels

Labelling poster - how to read food labels Most packaged foods are required to have a label with important information to help you make informed choices about what you and your family eats. The information required varies depending on the food. Remember certain information about foods that are unlabelled (e.g. fresh fruit and vegetables, or food that is purchased from where it is made such as cafes, bakeries or takeaway shops) may still need to be provided. This information is usually either displayed with the food or provided if you ask for it, for example, if the food contains certain allergens or directions for using or storing the food safely. FSANZ is responsible for developing and maintaining the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which includes standards for food labelling…

Published December 2023

Labelling of alcoholic beverages

Labelling of alcoholic beverages The Food Standards Code includes specific information requirements for labelling of alcoholic beverages. These may vary depending on the concentration of alcohol in the beverage. This is measured in alcohol by volume (ABV). Statement of alcohol content All beverages containing 0.5% or more ABV must include information on the label about the alcohol content (Standard 2.7.1). For alcoholic beverages containing more than 1.15% ABV, the label must include the alcohol content as a percentage of ABV or mL/100 ml.

• For example, the label might read that the beverage contains 5% ABV or the alcohol content is 5ml/100ml of the beverage.

Published December 2023