Food labels must tell the truth

A case is in front of the Federal Court currently that should send a warning to all food businesses with food labelling.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has the responsibility for monitoring compliance to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (or what was the Trade Practice Act 1974).

The court case has been taken by the ACCC against an egg supplier in South Australia who between March 2007 and October 2010 allegedly supplied eggs that were represented as being free range when a substantial proportion were actually caged eggs.

The ACCC alleges that such conduct contravened section 55 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (now known as the Competition and Consumer Act 2010).

The final part of the hearing is scheduled for the end of March, and the supplier may then be required to pay both penalties and costs as well as attend training and apologising to all customers.

This is a loud warning to all those food businesses that have food labels. Tell the truth and don’t state anything on the label that is not able to be proven.