Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy

Timeline for the Independent Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy

October 2009

23 October 2009 – Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy announced by the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council. The Terms of Reference for the review required the Panel to:
      1. Examine the policy drivers impacting on demands for food labelling.
      2. Consider what should be the role for government in the regulation of food labelling. What principles should guide decisions about government regulatory intervention?
      3. Consider what policies and mechanisms are needed to ensure that government plays its optimum role.
      4. Consider principles and approaches to achieve compliance with labelling requirements, and appropriate and consistent enforcement.
      5. Evaluate current policies, standards and laws relevant to food labelling and existing work on health claims and front of pack labelling against terms of reference 1-4 above.
      6. Make recommendations to improve food labelling law and policy.


26 October 2009 – Initial round of public consultation commenced, with a call for submissions on food labelling issues for consideration by the Review Panel
November 200920 November 2009 – Initial consultation round closed
March 20105 March 2010 – Second round of public consultation commenced, with the Launch of the Review Panel’s Issues Consultation Paper

Public consultation forums commenced
May 201014 May 2010 – Second consultation round closed
June-December 2010The Panel prepared its Final Report and recommendations. As required, the Panel directly approached stakeholders to seek further information in support of their written submissions to the Review.
December 2010The Panel made a presentation to the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council
January 201128 January 2011 – The Review Panel officially presented its Final Report – Labelling Logic to Government. The Final Report was publicly released on the same day

Page last updated: 28 January, 2011