- New labelling requirements were optional from July 1, 2016 and become mandatory on July 1, 2018.
- Research suggests the net benefit to business and government will be $66 million over 20 years.
- The ACCC will police Country of Origin Labelling (CoOL), with penalties up to $1.1 million for a company flouting the rules
- Low-priority food including highly processed confectionary and snacks, tea, coffee, alcohol and other beverages are not subject to the CoOL legislation
Country of Origin Labelling (CoOL) is now mandatory for food produced or manufactured from July 1, 2018 making it easier than ever for consumers to choose Australian products.
Federal Member for Forde Bert van Manen MP said the CoOL changes were a direct response from the Coalition Government to concerns from the community.
“People have long said that they want to know where their food was made or packed, and how much was sourced from Australian farmers,” Mr van Manen said.
“We have delivered a system that’s good for local shoppers, who can make informed decisions, and for local farmers growing great produce.
“Australian produce has a reputation for being high-quality, safe, clean and green and we want to help consumers buy Australian and get the best food here at home.”
Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources David Littleproud said the bar graph and kangaroo were a simple way to display country of origin information.
“The bar chart shows how much of the product was grown by Aussie farmers,” Minister Littleproud said.
“The kangaroo symbol tells us the food was processed or manufactured in Australia.
“Australia grows safe, clean food and we want to help consumers choose the best.”
The Coalition Government introduced the CoOL reforms in 2016, giving businesses until July 1, 2018 to comply with the new requirements.
The labels are mandatory for all food offered for retail sale in Australia.
For more information on the new labelling requirements and what the symbols and claims mean, visit industry.gov.au/industry/industrysectors/foodmanufacturingindustry/pages/country-of-origin-labelling.aspx.
