Food Labelling & Composition - compliance with the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code

If you're a food importer or brand owner your product labelling may have been designed for another market, eg USA, Europe, Asia. So it may not meet New Zealand and Australian requirements.

We'll review your packaged food products labels for compliance with local composition and labelling equirements. Where necessary we can refer you to a product category specialist for additional guidance eg
for products such as infant formula, supplemented foods, dietary supplements.

When should you check labelling?

• Before you import any food products from overseas
• Before you sign off on a final packaging or over-label proof
• When launching a new product
• When the formulation of a product changes

How long does a label review take?

A standard label review and written report usually takes around 1 hour as long as you have accurate nutrition panel information and ingredient listings.

The review takes longer when:

• the label includes health claims requiring validation
• the relevant information is not immediately available, eg when we need to obtain or check specifications of ingredients
• nutritional information needs recalculating.

To understand what is required on your food product labels, the Ministry for Primary Industries' guide is a good starting point –

MPI – A Guide to Retail Food Labelling

MPI - A Guide to Labelling Food Sold to Caterers Food Service Businesses

MPI - A Guide to Labelling Food Supplied to a Food Manufacturer or Processor

For direct links to the legislative website covering New Zealand and Australian labelling requirements, see –

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)