Learning what different terms mean can help you be on your way to choosing the best produce available – without being duped by false promises.
The issue of mislabeling has come to light with the recent court case involving Coles, the Australian supermarket, and its bakery range. The company was found guilty of saying its bread was freshly made, when in fact it was mostly made overseas with just the finishing touches completed in-store. Coles will have to pay $3 million in fines and court costs, and now has a tarnished reputation.
Australian made
For a product to be labelled Australian made, it has to be manufactured in the country, but the ingredients can come from anywhere. For instance, ham can be called Australian made if the pig was carved in Australia, even if the animal was imported from another country. According to Food Magazine, a huge 70 per cent of bacon and ham that claims to be Australian is actually imported.
Product of Australia covers products that contain raw materials from this country as well as being manufactured here.
Organic
In order to ensure you’re getting real organic fare, look for the Australian Certified Organic label. This stamp indicates the product, whether organic beef or skincare, was created with sustainable processes that are also ethical and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, there were no genetic modifications, and the product is free from pesticides, hormones and antibiotics.
This label maintains its reputation as organic farmers and production companies are carefully audited for more than three years prior to receiving the certification, and continue to be audited after they sport the label.
Hormone-free chicken
You can rest assured that all chicken in Australia is hormone-free. According to News Australia, it has been this way since 1960s – so you don’t need to waste your time at the supermarket looking for this particular label on your chicken.
