Food and product labels for small businesses

For small food and product businesses, labels are where branding meets regulation. A beautiful jam label that's missing an allergen declaration, or a candle label with a claim you can't back up, can cause real problems. This guide gives an overview of the main Australian rules to be aware of and where to check the detail. It's general information, not legal advice: requirements depend on your product and how you sell it, so check with the regulators listed.

Who makes the rules

For food, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) develops the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, which includes labelling requirements. State and territory food regulators, such as the NSW Food Authority, enforce the Code. Local councils often handle inspections of local food businesses.

For all products, the Australian Consumer Law, administered by the ACCC and state fair trading agencies, prohibits false or misleading claims. Some product types, such as cosmetics, electrical goods and children's products, have additional rules.

Packaged food: what labels generally include

The NSW Food Authority's general labelling fact sheet summarises the information that packaged food labels usually need, subject to exemptions. It includes items such as:

• the name or description of the food;
• lot identification, so a batch can be traced and recalled;
• the name and Australian or New Zealand street address of the supplier;
• a list of ingredients, generally in descending order by ingoing weight;
• declarations of allergens and certain other substances, as required by the Code;
• date marking (use-by or best-before) where applicable;
• directions for use and storage where needed for safety or keeping quality;
• a nutrition information panel, unless the food is exempt;
• the percentage of characterising ingredients, where applicable;
• country of origin information, where applicable.

Information must be legible, prominent, in English and not misleading. The detailed rules, including exemptions, are in the Food Standards Code; check the fact sheet and Code for your product.

Allergens

Allergen labelling is one of the most important parts of a food label for safety. The Food Standards Code sets out which allergens must be declared and how. The rules have been updated in recent years to require clearer, more consistent allergen information, so check current FSANZ guidance rather than copying an older label. If you're unsure whether an ingredient contains an allergen, check with your supplier and your state food regulator.

Use-by and best-before

Date marking tells consumers how long food will keep. Broadly, a use-by date relates to safety, and a best-before date relates to quality. Which applies, and whether any date is needed, depends on the food. Check the Code and your regulator's guidance.

Market stalls and small producers

Requirements vary depending on whether the food is packaged and where and how it's sold. Some foods are exempt from some labelling requirements, for example certain unpackaged foods and foods made and packaged on the premises, but some information may still have to be displayed or provided on request. Many councils and state regulators have specific guidance for market stalls and home-based food businesses, including registration requirements. Check before your first market.

Country of origin labelling

Many foods offered for retail sale in Australia must carry country of origin labelling under the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard. The ACCC explains the requirements, which can include a standard mark, a bar chart showing Australian ingredient content and a statement, depending on the food. Some foods are exempt. Check the ACCC's guidance and business.gov.au to see what applies.

For non-food products, country of origin claims are voluntary, but any claim you make, such as "Made in Australia", must not be false or misleading.

Honest claims

The ACCC says businesses must not make false or misleading claims about their products. That includes:

• environmental claims such as recyclable, compostable, eco-friendly or carbon neutral, which must be accurate and able to be substantiated;
• health and nutrition claims on food, which have specific rules in the Food Standards Code;
• "natural", "organic" or "handmade" claims, which should be accurate and not create a misleading impression;
• origin claims such as "Australian made".

If you can't back a claim up with evidence, leave it off the label.

Practical label design tips

• Plan space for mandatory information first, then fit branding around it.
• Make allergen and date information easy to find and read. Avoid tiny text and low-contrast colour.
• Choose a durable material for products that are refrigerated, frozen or handled with wet hands. Polypropylene or vinyl often suits jars and bottles. See vinyl vs paper stickers.
• Use a freezer-grade adhesive for frozen products.
• Leave space for a batch code and date, which may change with each batch. Many small producers print these separately or use a date stamp.
• Proof carefully. A typo in an ingredient list or allergen declaration matters far more than a typo in a slogan.

Our designing stickers that work guide covers bleed, safe zones and readability.

Getting help

• Food: FSANZ's website explains the Code, and your state or territory food regulator has guidance for businesses, often including labelling templates or checklists.
• Claims and origin: the ACCC and business.gov.au have guidance for businesses.
• Your local council: for registration and inspections.

For complex products, a food labelling consultant or food technologist can review your labels.

A label review checklist

Before you print a new food or product label, check:

1. Is the product name accurate and not misleading?
2. Are all ingredients listed, in the right order?
3. Are allergens declared in the way the current Food Standards Code requires?
4. Is there space for a lot or batch code, and a date mark if needed?
5. Is the supplier's name and street address shown?
6. Are storage and use directions included where needed?
7. Is a nutrition information panel included, or is the product exempt?
8. Is country of origin information correct and in the right format?
9. Can every claim be backed up with evidence?
10. Is all mandatory text legible against its background?

Keep a record of your label versions and the recipe or supplier information behind them, so you can update labels if an ingredient or supplier changes.

Updating labels

Review labels whenever you change a recipe, supplier or packaging, and when regulators update requirements. Keep old label files archived with dates, so you know what was on shelves at any time.

Key points

• FSANZ sets the Food Standards Code; state food regulators enforce it.
• Packaged food labels usually need name, lot ID, supplier address, ingredients, allergens, dates and more, with some exemptions.
• Many retail foods need country of origin labelling.
• All product claims must be honest and able to be backed up.
• Check with your state food regulator before selling at markets.