The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has accused the Northern Territory (NT) government of breaking the promise by the government to consumers in the NT that beverage prices would not rise on account of its Container Deposit Legislation (CDL). As previously reported by Australian Food News, the CDL was introduced in the Northern Territory on 3 January 2012. According to the AFGC, the costs of running the CDL are overly-expensive and are now being passed on by manufacturers and retailers... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has issued the AFGC CHEP Retail Sales Index, as at January 30 2012, which forecasts continued subdued growth for Australia’s retail sector in the March quarter, traditionally one of the slowest trading periods of the year. According to the retail index issued, based on supply chain activity for the month of December 2011, retail trade activity increased by 3.1 percent year on year compared with December 2010 Forecasted retail activity is predicted... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) today urged the Federal Government to offer “similar assistance” to Australia’s food industry as it offers the automotive industry when considering this year’s Budget. In its Budget 2012-13 Submission, the AFGC is calling on the Federal Government to get behind the food and grocery manufacturing sector in the upcoming Federal Budget process. The submission specifically calls for a Supermarket Fair Trading Code of Conduct and a Supermarket Ombudsman... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has announced today that its Chief Executive, Kate Carnell, is to leave the industry group at the end of March 2012. Ms Carnell has accepted the position of CEO at Beyond Blue, an Australian non-profit organisation which aims to increase awareness and improve the treatment of depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and related mental disorders. Prior to Ms Carnell’s departure at the end of March, the AFGC Board will be evaluating potential... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has again called upon the Australian Government to take action to help Australian food manufacturers cope with “immense pressures” on their business. The AFGC’s call coincides with last Friday’s closure of Heinz Australia’s tomato sauce factory in Girgarre, Victoria. Despite the Girgarre closing, Heinz Australia continues to manufacture in the Goulburn Valley region through its baby food factory in Echuca. AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) today launched a campaign urging Australian consumers to buy Australian-made products to support the food industry during the holiday season. According to the AFGC, the cost of manufacturing food is, on average, 25 per cent higher in Australia than in regional competitor nations. The AFGC says this is seriously affecting the Australian industry’s competitiveness and profitability. The high Australian dollar is also to blame, making imports cheaper... ...Read more »

Australian and New Zealand ministers today put nutrition and preventative health at the heart of a plan to reform laws on packaged food and drink product labelling in Australia. Ministers met in Melbourne today to consider their response to the recommendations in the Food Labelling Review Report, Labelling Logic (also known as the Blewett report). This was the first meeting of the Legislative and Governance Forum on Food Regulation (Forum). The Forum on Food Regulation replaces the Australia and... ...Read more »

The Federal Government has announced today that it does not support the Traffic Light labelling system previously recommended by the Blewett Report. However, it does support the report’s recommendation on palm oil labelling in Australia. The Federal Government’s position was released today, ahead of the 9 December meeting of food and health ministers comprising the Australian New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council. Front-of-pack labelling Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon... ...Read more »

Differences in recommended serving sizes on like-for-like Australian food products are making it “near impossible” for shoppers to compare the nutritional content of the products, according to new research by Sydney-based medical research body, The George Institute. The George Institute’s study contained in its ‘Examination of serving sizes of selected food products in Australia’ report, published today, was commissioned by Australian consumer advocacy group CHOICE. The George Institute’s... ...Read more »

Junk food advertisements will be banned from commercial television at certain times of the day in Australia if a new Bill introduced today by the Australian Greens party is passed. The ‘Protecting Children from Junk Food Advertising (Broadcasting and Telecommunications Amendment)’ private member’s bill seeks a ban on “junk food” advertisements on commercial television from 6-9am and 4-9pm on weekdays, and from 6am-12pm and 4-9pm on weekends and school holidays. Junk food is defined by the... ...Read more »