Food labels tell you what you are eating so you can choose what to include in your diet. Labels also indicate any precautions you may need to take, such as storage or cooking instructions. A food label contains information that is required by law.
All food sold in this country must comply with the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code for labelling. We administer the Code which covers labels among other things, so that there is information available regarding the safety and suitability of the food you are about to eat. Labels may also indicate any precautions you need to take, such as storage or cooking instructions, date marks and whether it contains allergens. This page also touches on items that may appear on a food label such as a country of origin statement, advertising and nutrition claims.
What must be on a food label?
Nearly every food product requires a label, with varying degrees of detail. A food label must be in English (other languages can be used in addition to English, as long as they do not contradict the information).
- In general, these items must be shown on a food label:
- the name of the food, to identify it
- the lot identification, which identifies the premises where the food was packaged and/or prepared and the batch it came from, to assist should there be a food recall (this may also be the date mark)
- the name and address of the supplier and business in New Zealand or Australia who can be contacted if more information about the product is needed
- mandatory warning statements, advisory statements and declarations to identify certain ingredients/substances that may trigger allergies or be of concern
- ingredient list in descending order of in-going weight including any food additives, such as preservatives, flavours and colours, which are identified by their function and name or code number (eg, Thickener (pectin) or Thickener (440))
- date marking is needed for most packaged food with a shelf life of less than two years, most commonly these are ‘Use By’ and ‘Best Before’ dates
- directions for use and storage (where needed) to ensure the food will keep for the period indicated by the date mark, and/or how you should store the food to stop it spoiling or reduce the growth of pathogens that may cause illness
- Nutrition Information Panel to allow you to compare the quantities of seven key nutrients per serving and per 100g or 100ml of liquid
- percentage labelling of characterising ingredient
- net weight or volume.
Which foods don’t require a full food label?
Certain foods are exempt from these labelling requirements, which means some or all of the label components can be left out. However, specific health and safety information must be displayed nearby or be available if you ask for it, for example if food contains caffeine or substances that can trigger allergic reactions.
Foods that don’t require every component of the label include:
- small food packets such as chewing gum
- foods for catering
- alcoholic beverages.
Foods that don’t require any label at all include:
- unpackaged food
- food made and packaged where it is sold, or food packaged in front of you
- ready-to-eat food delivered to order (eg, pizza)
- whole or cut fresh fruit and vegetables in transparent packages
- food sold at a fundraising event
- food in an inner package not designed for sale without the outer package.
Ingredient list
The ingredient list shows any ingredient in the food, including added water, food additives and compound ingredients (those ingredients that are themselves made up of two or more ingredients eg, chocolate chips or icing).
Code numbers of food additives
The three-digit codes in the ingredient list are unique international identification numbers for food additives. Food additives are natural or synthetic chemicals added during manufacture to extend the product’s shelf life, or make the product more appealing. The code numbers save space and avoid confusion over similar names.
Additives are listed according to their function and name or code, eg, Thickener (pectin) or Thickener (440). Our free booklet Identifying Food Additives will help you interpret which additives are used in the foods you most commonly buy.
If you need to know more about a specific additive (eg, whether it’s derived from plant or animal origin), the manufacturer’s contact details are on the label.
Identifying food additives (291 KB PDF)
Date marks and storage instructions
A date mark indicates the end of a food product’s shelf life, or when it may start to deteriorate. Most packaged foods with a shelf life of up to two years require a date mark, except for individual portions of ice cream, or for food products in small packages (such as chewing gum) where there is no food safety concern.
What the different date marks mean?
The ‘Use By’ date indicates how long your food should keep safely if the storage instructions are followed. You should not buy or consume food when the ‘Use By’ date has expired and it is illegal to sell food with an expired ‘Use By’ date.
The ‘Best Before’ date indicates when the quality of the product may begin to change. It is not a safety issue. Food can be sold beyond its ‘Best Before’ date provided it is still fit for consumption.
The ‘Baked On/Baked For’ dates are used on bread products with a shelf life of less than seven days.
Safety-related storage instructions are required on certain food products in conjunction with date marks to guide your handling of the food so that its safety or quality isn’t jeopardised before the date mark expires. Pathogens such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria can grow to levels that may cause illness if your food is not stored correctly. These instructions may also indicate how to store the food once the package is opened (eg, ‘Refrigerate after opening’).
Allergies and warning statements
Because allergies to certain food proteins (allergens) can be life threatening, the eight most common food allergens must be declared on a food label, or information about them should be available at the point of sale. Labelling allows you to avoid those foods that may be of concern.
Allergens must be declared if they are added as an ingredient, part of a compound ingredient, an additive, a processing aid or component of these.
The eight most common allergens that must be shown on a label are:
- cereals containing gluten and their products (eg, wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt)
- Crustacea (eg, crayfish, crabs, prawns) and their products
- egg and egg products
- fish and fish products
- milk and milk products
- tree nuts and sesame seeds and their products
- peanuts and soybeans, and their products
- added sulphites in concentrations of 10mg/kg or more.
A warning statement is required for products that contain royal jelly, because any allergic reaction can be severe.
Advisory statements are required on some foods that contain less well-known allergens; or may be a health risk to particular population groups; or contain substances that don’t need to be listed in the ingredients but can pose a risk to some sensitive individuals.
Advisory statements are required on:
- foods that contain bee pollen, aspartame, quinine, guarana, phytosterols, phytosterol esters, and propolis
- low fat milks (including soy and rice milk), kola beverages containing caffeine, unpasteurised egg products, and unpasteurised milk and milk products.
When a complete label is not required (eg, on takeaway food), if the food contains common allergens or substances that require an advisory/warning statement, the information must be displayed alongside the food, or be available if you ask for it.
The statement “May contain traces of xxx” is not required by law, but is often used by manufacturers for foods that may unintentionally contain traces of allergens from cross-contamination. It is up to you to decide whether this statement has any merit.
Nutrition Information Panels - why have them?
The seven key nutrient components of food are listed in the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP). This helps you compare products for the overall energy (kilojoules or Calories), the level of saturated fat, sugar and sodium, among others. These quantities are shown per serving (with an indication of what this might be, eg, two crackers), and per 100 grams (g) or millilitres (mL). The quantities must be expressed as an average, maximum or minimum.
Some food packages don’t require a NIP, for example, if they are very small (like chewing gum) or have minimal nutrition (such as herbs, spices, herbal infusions, tea or coffee, vinegar, salt, water or jam setting compounds). Alcoholic beverages (including kits for producing them) also don’t require a NIP.
Nutrition claims or active ingredients
When there are claims made about specific nutrients or biologically active ingredients, their levels should also be declared with the appropriate quantity measures. For example, if there is a claim about the calcium content of a food, the NIP must also show the level of calcium present.
Nutrition information
Servings per package: (insert number of servings) Serving size: g (or mL or other units as appropriate) | ||
| Average quantity per Serving | Average quantity per 100g (or 100mL) | |
|---|---|---|
Energy
|
kJ (Cal)
|
kJ (Cal)
|
Protein
|
g
|
g
|
Fat, total
- saturated fat |
g
g |
g
g |
Carbohydrate
- sugars |
g
g |
g
g |
Sodium
|
mg (mmol)
|
mg (mmol)
|
(other nutrients, or biologically active substances)
|
g, mg, (or other units as appropriate)
|
g, mg, (or other units as appropriate)
|
Alcoholic beverages and foods containing alcohol
Alcoholic beverages and foods containing alcohol have many of the same labelling requirements as regular food. However beer, fruit wine, wine, and spirits, including liqueurs, don’t require an ingredient list, nutrition information panel, or percentage labelling.
Alcohol content (standard drinks)
The number of standard drinks a beverage contains, or the amount of alcohol content by volume must be shown on the label. (One standard drink means the amount of that beverage which contains 10 grams of ethanol, measured at 20°C.) For example, a 750mL bottle of wine of 12.5% alcohol by volume would be labelled as ‘Contains approximately 7.4 standard drinks’.
Because the alcohol content itself can be a significant source of energy (kJ / Calories), it is still possible without a NIP to calculate the minimum energy level based on the number of standard drinks the beverage contains. One standard drink contributes approximately 300 kJ (about 70 Calories) to your diet.
Other labels on food packages
Country of origin labelling
Country of origin labelling is voluntary in New Zealand and suppliers (usually manufacturers, transporters or sellers) may choose not to display these details. But they must have contact details for distributors or manufacturers in New Zealand, so you can ask about the food.
Knowing the country of origin does not convey whether the food is safe or suitable. This is established by pre-market assessments of the product and compliance with New Zealand’s strict food safety laws, which apply equally to local and imported food.
Genetically Modified (GM) foods
At a glance, you can see whether a food product contains any GM-derived ingredients because they must be stated in the ingredient list. This includes any food additive, processing aid or flavouring that contains modified DNA or protein, or any food having altered characteristics as a result of GM (eg, soybeans with high oleic acid content).
For example, a label for bread containing a GM ingredient could read:
Ingredients: wheat flour, yeast, soy flour (genetically modified), water, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, emulsifiers (471, 472E), preservative (282), enzyme (amylase).
Foods served in a restaurant or café, or from a takeaway are exempt from these labelling requirements – if you need to know more, ask the staff.
Products that unintentionally contain GM material at less than 1% don’t have to have a GM label, although food businesses are required to take all reasonable steps to avoid this happening. Flavourings that make up less than 0.1% of a food are also exempt.
Irradiated food
Food treated with ionising radiation to kill unwanted pests and micro-organisms is known as irradiated food. Some tropical fruits imported from Queensland may be irradiated, as are some imported herbs and spices and herbal infusions (excluding tea). Fruits that may be irradiated include mango, rambutan, longan, lychee, papaya, custard apple, breadfruit and carambola. These must be labelled as irradiated. When a full label is not required, this information must be displayed nearby or be available on request.
Advertising on food packages
Most of the space on a food package is likely to be used for branding, advertising or marketing purposes. It is up to you to determine the significance of advertising/brand names.
Advertising or marketing material on food packages must comply with the Fair Trading Act (1986) and the Food Act (1981) and not mislead consumers about the product. The Fair Trading Act prohibits misleading and deceptive conduct, false representations and unfair practices. The Act covers all advertising and selling of goods and services (except private sales) and is administered by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and enforced by the Commerce Commission.
In general, advertising on food packages should not:
- make claims that the food is for slimming or has intrinsic weight-reducing properties
- make claims that the food has therapeutic or prophylactic capabilities
- include the word ‘health’, or any words of similar meaning in the name (but this doesn’t include brand names or trade marks)
- use information, either direct or implied that could be interpreted as medical advice
- use the name of, or a reference to, any disease or physiological condition.
