A proposal to extend country of origin labelling to unpackaged beef, sheep and chicken meat in Australia by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has received support by the Australian Made, Australian Grown Campaign (AMAG).
AMAG is a not-for-profit public foundation created by the Australian Chamber of Commerce, industry and various Australian business chambers.
AMAG has been campaigning for tougher food labelling laws. The group’s Chief Executive, Ian Harrison, said the proposed alteration to the Food Standards Code would be a big win for consumers and industry alike.
Mr Harrison cited research previously published by market research company Roy Morgan Research. According to the research, 89 per cent of Australians “feel very strongly that the fresh food they buy is Australian”.
Mr Harrison said, “The Australian Grown logo is the best way for producers and retailers to leverage this sentiment and the impact of the decision to extend the range of produce required to carry country of origin labelling.
The ‘Australian Grown’ logo signifies products that have been grown in Australia and all or virtually all of the production processes have occurred in Australia.
“A staggering 94 per cent of shoppers recognise the logo and 85 per cent of shoppers trust the logo over any other country of origin branding such as flags, maps and pictures of animals,” Mr Harrison said.
“Consumers consciously look for the logo to authenticate produce as Australian. We encourage producers and retailers to use the logo aggressively at point-of-sale, placing it clearly and visibly on products and promotional materials to assist shoppers in making their purchase decisions,” he said.
