Australian supermarkets have been responding to growing consumer activism in favour of ‘sustainable’ fish and ‘free range’ eggs. The German-owned Australian ALDI supermarket group has announced that it will work with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) to evaluate the sustainability of its seafood range in Australia. ALDI  says the partnership will enable it to develop programs and strategies to ensure the sustainability of the supply chain and meet its commitment to ‘source sustainably... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued feedback to suggest it will deny the Australian Egg Corporation Limited (AECL) a Certification Trade Mark over new “free range” egg standards. The ACCC, which is the government’s consumer protection agency, has responsibility to ensure that certified trade marks are not used in a way that may mislead consumers. The ACCC has indicated that the Australian Egg Corporation’s proposed standards do not meet legislative requirements... ...Read more »

New research by Shoppercentric, an independent consumer research company, has found that ethical and environmental shoppers are increasing in the UK in spite of recent economic difficulty. The “WindowOn Considered Shopper” report studied 1000 consumers aged 18 – 64 in the United Kingdom who were responsible for household shopping. It was reported that an increasing number of consumers were actively choosing to purchase “responsible” products despite the recession. Interestingly, those most... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) instituted legal proceedings for misleading and deceptive conduct in relation to the promotion and supply of a line of duck-meat products. The company is alleged to have claimed that its ducks were ‘open range’ and ‘grown in nature’s way’. Pictorial representations of ducks in natural surroundings are also depicted on their packaging, website and advertising material.  The company against whom the ACCC is taking action is Pepe’s... ...Read more »

A new scheme will provide greater transparency for New South Wales consumers about farm production systems. Terms such as “free-range”, “barn” and “cage” are now more clearly defined on the NSW Food Authority website. Information on the various egg production schemes operating in NSW is now available online to enable consumers to make informed food choices. “The NSW Food Authority has responded to calls for more transparent information on egg labelling and consumers who want to... ...Read more »

The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) has called for public comment on the proposed Egg Standard Australia, the controversial industry standard that would allow increases to the stocking densities of free range layer hens in Australia. The Australian Egg Corporation, which represents commercial egg producers in Australia, has made an application to register a certification trade mark. The application includes amendments to the Farm Standards for Egg Producers. The Australian Egg... ...Read more »

In its latest Budget, the Tasmanian Government has announced that no new cage egg farms will be allowed in Tasmania, and Tasmania is also reviewing standards for free range production. The Tasmanian Government is planning on phasing out battery hen farming in Tasmania and fast tracking a planned ban on the use of sow stalls. Minister for Primary Industry and Water Bryan Green said funding in the Budget would help pork producers transition out of sow stalls by the middle of 2013. He said, “these... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has taken legal action against a South Australian egg supplier, Rosie’s Free Range Eggs, alleging that eggs being sold as ‘free range’ were in fact ‘cage eggs’. The ACCC has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against Ms Rosemary Bruhn, who trades as Rosie’s Free Range Eggs. The ACCC alleges that from March 2007 to October 2010, Ms Bruhn represented that eggs she supplied to business customers, including 117 customers... ...Read more »

One of Australia’s certifiers of ‘free-range’ egg, beef and pork farms has lodged a complaint with the Australia Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over the labelling of Primo pork products as ‘RSPCA Free Range.’ The certifying organisation, Humane Choice, claims the RSPCA’s certification of the Primo pork products does not meet consumer expectation of ‘free range’ products, and that the brand is endorsed as free range by the RSPCA, and that the label is ‘misleading’. RSPCA... ...Read more »

Australia’s peak egg body, the Australian Egg Corporation Limited (AECL), today launched a marketing campaign to promote caged egg production as having the lowest carbon footprint of all the main protein foods. AECL Managing Director, James Kellaway, said the findings of a study undertaken by the AECL suggested that caged eggs are the “highest quality protein food with the lowest emissions”. The AECL study, based on the green house gas emissions from three egg farms over one year, found that... ...Read more »