The Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs, Chris Bowen, has announced a package of measures providing criminal sanctions for serious cartel conduct, including providing power to the ACCC to tap telephone calls for investigatory purposes. After lengthy consultation with businesses, academics and the community at large, the Government yesterday released the final cartels bill in response to their election promise. “Together with the United States, the 10‑year... ...Read more »

Queenslanders have until the end of October to have their say on a proposed junk food ad ban during children’s TV viewing hours.Health Minister Stephen Robertson has called for more community feedback on the already strong response to the Bligh Government’s junk food discussion paper. “So far, more than 1,500 Queenslanders have completed our survey on regulating junk food and drink ads during kids’ TV programming,” he said. “But we want to hear from even more Queenslanders.... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has urged state and federal governments to restrict the introduction of new legislation that could burden retailers with added compliance costs during this period of economic concern.ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said during one of the hardest economic times for retailers, decision makers are continuing to push through legislation across the country - including unit pricing, plastic bag bans, emissions trading schemes, parental... ...Read more »

Regulators and policy makers need to get out from behind their desks to see what it is really like to work in the food and drink industry, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Director General Melanie Leech told a major conference in London overnight. Speaking at the New Regulatory Reform Agenda conference organised by Whitehall & Westminster magazine, Leech said: “I understand the time pressures facing those in Government and its agencies - but if you don’t understand business processes,... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council has welcomed the release of the Productivity Commission’s Annual Review of Regulatory Burdens on Business: Manufacturing and Distributive Trades. “Australia’s $70 billion packaged food and grocery industry has long been arguing for a more streamlined approach to food regulation,” AFGC Chief Executive, Kate Carnell, said. The report found food regulation could be made less burdensome by: “Increasing national consistency of regulation Improving... ...Read more »

One of Australia’s leading producers of RTD alcoholic beverages has discovered that they can steer clear of the ‘alcopop’ tax by using alcohol derived from beer. Independent Distillers told Fairfax that they are set to launch a beverage called ‘Bolt’, which should appeal to younger drinkers with its passionfruit, raspberry and blueberry flavours. The drink does not use typical spirits, instead utilising alcohol derived from beer. The beer taste is stripped out during... ...Read more »

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) had today requested individuals and organisations with an interest in food regulation to comment on a proposed change to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.The Code contains food regulations that set out requirements for food businesses wishing to sell food in Australia and New Zealand - covering the content, labelling and handling of food products. Red 3 erythrosine in food colouring preparations Application A603 - initial assessment report Golding... ...Read more »

Competition Policy & Consumer Affairs Minister, Chris Bowen, has released an issues paper calling for public comment on developing a national unit pricing regime. This is the next step toward introducing a nationally-consistent unit pricing regime, announced as part of the Government’s preliminary response to the release of the ACCC’s Grocery Inquiry. Unit pricing (or comparative pricing) is the display of the price of goods per unit of measure, for example per 100 grams,... ...Read more »

The Australian National Retailers Association today restated its support for a cost-effective, national unit pricing system, following the release of the Federal Government’s discussion paper. ANRA CEO Margy Osmond said that a framework was needed to ensure retailers are not subjected to “inflexible and costly regulations”. “Unit pricing should give shoppers clear, handy information that doesn’t add an unnecessary burden on shop owners, potentially leading to higher... ...Read more »

The European Union (EU) has become a leading exporter of regulation as growing information exchange among regulators worldwide moves closer towards a common standard in food and nutrition policy, an industry consultant has reported. Simon Pettman, Director of international food and nutrition policy consultancy EAS, said that EU efforts to harmonise regulations across its 27 member states has drawn huge interest across the globe, highlighting that in many areas including the food sector, Europe is... ...Read more »