One of Australia’s largest poultry producers, Turi Foods, has been ordered by the Federal Court of Australia, to pay AU$100,000 penalty after admitting to a misleading claim. In September 2011, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against Turi Foods, which supplies La Ionica brand meat chickens in New South Wales and Victoria. The claim was that the chickens were “free to roam”. The ACCC alleged that Turi Foods made “false or... ...Read more »

The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) today launched a campaign calling on Australians to kick-start 2012 year by taking part in a healthy ‘pledge’. The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) has launched the social media-based campaign in the lead-up to Australia’s Healthy Weight Week (22 – 29 January 2012). Under the theme ‘One change at a time’, it aims to motivate Australians, and especially young women, to pledge to take on healthy eating and exercise habits. The campaign... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola has announced the final 50 names that feature on bottles of Coke across Australia for January 2012. Back in November 2011, the multinational beverage manufacturer announced that it would be extending its Australian ‘Share A Coke’ promotion. The promotion began in October 2011, when Coca-Cola South Pacific introduced 150 names to bottles and cans of Coke. The company allowed people a chance to vote for the final fifty names to be featured on Coke bottles in 2012 through its Facebook... ...Read more »

Food manufacturing giant Unilever has appealed a decision by the Advertising Standards Board which ordered that an advertisement for its Paddle Pop products be taken off air over a claimed breach in the Responsible Children’s Marketing Initiative (RCMI). The advertisement for Unilever’s Bubble Gum Berry Lava Paddle Pop and the Hero or Villain Choc Orange Paddle Pop is set in a jungle and a voiceover describes the products. In what is being described by Unilever as a far-reaching precedent, the... ...Read more »

Queensland horticulture body Growcom, says it intends to assess opportunities for Australian fruit and vegetable growers to generate credits under the Australian Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) scheme. The scheme allows landowners to generate carbon credits, and ultimately income streams, by conducting projects that reduce emissions or sequester carbon in the environment. Growcom’s David Putland said the scheme involved around a set of ‘approved methodologies’ that determined... ...Read more »

In the December 2011 issue of Food Technology magazine, published by the US-based Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), contributing Editor A. Elizabeth Sloan writes about the latest whole grain trends in food: 1.     Food marketing claims relating to the benefits of whole grains are now the most sought after health claims on food packages, followed by claims about dietary fiber, according to the Food Marketing Institute’s (FMI) 2011 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report. 2.      The number... ...Read more »

Australian national grocery wholesaler, Metcash, has reported a 14.3 per cent decline in profit to A$94.4 million for the six months to 31 October 2011. Metcash’s executive Andrew Reitzer said that challenging operating conditions have persisted due to reduced consumer confidence, highly value-conscious consumer, and continuing deflation. The profit decline takes into account “significant items and discontinued operations” associated with the company’s Franklins acquisition. Excluding these... ...Read more »

The European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) has responded to criticism over its ruling that bottled water manufacturers are banned from claiming that water can prevent dehydration. The EFSA is responsible for scientific assessment of food and composition and food marketing claims in Europe. On 16 November 2011 the European Commission published a list of health claims made on foods that refer to the reduction of disease risk (EU No 1170/​2011) that had been rejected in previous months by the... ...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 »

Coca-Cola has announced today its decision to extend its much talked about ‘Share A Coke’ campaign into 2012. The multinational beverage manufacturer is now asking Australians to nominate 50 new names to feature on bottles of Coke. In October 2011, Coca-Cola started introduced 150 names to bottles and cans of Coke as part of its ‘Share A Coke’ campaign. Coca-Cola South Pacific’s Marketing Director, Lucie Austin said, “The response from consumers and their interactions with the campaign... ...Read more »