Imported and domestically produced fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and seafood which are fresh or frozen and no more than minimally processed; and cured pork.; Food products in general (ICS 67.040)

Consumer Information Standards (Origin of Food) Regulations 2019, 8 pages, English. Exposure draft consultation: Consumer Information Standards (Origin of Food) Regulations 2019, 15 pages, English.

The Consumer Information Standards (Origin of Food) Regulations 2019 (the Regulations) prescribe requirements for the disclosure of a regulated food's country or place of origin.

The Consumers' Right to Know (Country of Origin of Food) Act 2018,  requires the New   Zealand Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to recommend the making of regulations prescribing a consumer information standard for the disclosure of a regulated food's country or place of origin.

To that end the proposed Regulations provide that regulated foods are the following:

1.    food that

1.      is only 1 type of fruit, vegetable, meat, fish or seafood; and

2.      is fresh or frozen (but would otherwise be fresh); and

3.      is no more than minimally processed (for example, by being cut, minced, filleted, or surface treated);

2.    cured pork.

There are certain exceptions to the requirements of the Regulations for the following:

1.    food that is supplied, offered or advertised for supply

1.      at a fundraising event; or

2.      by any of the following for immediate consumption: a restaurant, cafeteria, takeaway shop, canteen or similar place, or a caterer.

The Regulations provide examples of processes that do not prevent a food from being fresh or minimally processed.

The Regulations also provide definitions of key terms such as fruit, vegetables, fish and seafood, and cured pork.

They also set out key requirements for the manner in which disclosure must be made. In particular, disclosure must be made as follows for the following foods:

1.    The origin of fruit and vegetables must be disclosed by reference to the country where the food was grown.

2.    The origin of meat or cured pork must be disclosed by reference to the country where the animal was raised.

3.    The origin of fish or seafood must be disclosed by reference to either the national fisheries jurisdiction OR the ocean in whose high seas the food was caught or harvested. The Regulations provide for alternative disclosure requirements for foods supplied, offered for supply, or advertised for supply in certain circumstances.