Food labelling in New Zealand is governed by Chapter 1 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code), supplemented by the Food Act 2014 and the Animal Products Act 1999 for animal products processors.
All foods sold domestically must comply with the Code, with requirements scaling based on whether the product is destined for retail sale, catering, or further manufacturing. However, under Sections 345 and 347 of the Food Act 2014, products manufactured for export may be exempted from domestic labelling rules provided they comply with the regulations of the destination market.
Labels and all information provided in conjunction with food products (including brochures, web sites and posters), must be truthful and not mislead the consumer. Current regulations (under the Fair Trading Act 1986 and the Food Act 2014) explicitly prohibit false, misleading, or deceptive representations across all advertising and publicity materials.
How We Can Help
The primary purpose of a food label is to ensure consumer safety and enable informed purchasing choices. We provide expert technical guidance to ensure your labelling, composition, and marketing claims comply fully with Chapter 1 of the Code.
Our services include reviewing and formulating:
Nutrition Information Panels (NIP): Compliant formatting and data verification
Ingredient Declarations: Accurate listing of compound ingredients and sub-ingredients
Regulated Substances: Compliant declarations for food additives and processing aids
Allergen Management: Meeting the Plain English Allergen Labelling (PEAL) requirements
Health & Nutrition Claims: Substantiation and compliance under Standard 1.2.7.
Alcohol Labelling: Specialized requirements for beer, wine, spirit, and cider profiles
Global Market Access
If you are scaling internationally, we can help you navigate foreign labelling requirements.
