Best-Before Q&A

What’s your opinion on best-before dates? Best-before dates provide good information to consumers and also confidence to manufacturers that their products can be presented and judged appropriately. They tell a consumer that before a certain date the product will be in...

Product tampering

FGC has twice written to the government of the day urging a review of New Zealand’s law regarding malicious tampering of food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and other consumer goods to ensure it is fit for purpose, particularly in terms of penalties. In 2015, we wrote to...

Letter on malicious tampering

Review of New Zealand law regarding malicious tampering and consumer goods – to Hon. Andrew Little, Minister of Justice Letter  

Genetic engineering

The NZ Food & Grocery Council supports the provisions of the Food Standards Code (Standard 1.5.2) with regard to genetic engineering. To date, our members have not taken up GE ingredients in food because there has not been a consumer benefit worth launching onto...

FGC responds to claims over packaged food

FGC has responded to claims by researchers that half of packaged food on supermarket shelves is unhealthy and that Health Stars should be mandatory as a result. Katherine Rich says supermarkets carry many thousands of options, and it depends entirely on what people...
Arataki turns to solar – and cardboard

Arataki turns to solar – and cardboard

One of New Zealand’s biggest honey producers and exporters, Arataki Honey, has announced two major sustainability initiatives involving power use and packaging. It has installed 250 solar panels at its production plant in Hawke’s Bay that it hopes will halve its...
FGC gets grant to tackle retail, supply chain safety

FGC gets grant to tackle retail, supply chain safety

FGC is one of five organisations to receive a grant from ACC to develop projects to help reduce injuries in the workplace. The $1.5 million grant is part of a $22 million injury prevention programme by ACC that includes the forestry and construction industries and...

Choice’s claims over Health Stars unfair, misleading

Claims by Australian consumer watchdog Choice concerning the Health Star Rating system are unfair and misleading, says FGC Chief Executive Katherine Rich. She was responding to an article published by Supermarket News, which quoted Choice as calling for a review of...
Sugar tax claim not backed by facts

Sugar tax claim not backed by facts

A claim that a tax of 10% on sugary drinks will reduce long-term consumption by 10% is not backed up by the facts, says the Food & Grocery Council. Otago University researchers say this in a report after looking at places where taxes on sugary drinks have been...