Australian choice un-important, Says FSANZ Study

Consumer choice is not valid, according to a recent Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) study, when measuring the value of having clear country of origin labelling on packaged vegetables.

“The report is all about costs. Enormous, unrealistic measures of cost to companies from having to change labels on their packaging. But very little calculated on the benefits,” Michael Badcock, AUSVEG Chairman said.
The FSANZ study found that country of origin labelling on packaged food would cost in the vicinity of $120 million.

“I can’t see how the costs would be that high. Modern and efficient manufacturing
businesses use the latest technology. “Companies use computers more often than the old plate system for printing, taking seconds not hours. And they change labels all the time anyway for batch numbers,” Michael said.

“And regardless. Why should cost to the manufacturer always outweigh consumer choice? If you want to buy products from Australia you should be able to make that choice,” he said. AUSVEG suggests that a way to address this issue is to draft a separate Trade Practices Act legislation for food.

“The current Trade Practices Act lumps everything in together, from furniture to frozen food. “By separating food out, it would be easier to have strong country of origin labelling that gives consumers the information they have the right to know,” Michael said.

AUSVEG’s response to the country of origin labelling feasibility study commission by FSANZ can be found on www.ausveg.com.au