'Australian Made' applications are booming

Australian producers and manufacturers are rushing to brand products as genuinely Australian in an effort to demonstrate quality, safety and ethical values.

Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive Ian Harrison said the average number of businesses registering to use the ‘Australian Made, Australian Grown’ logo each month has almost doubled over the past year.

The not-for-profit Australian Made Campaign administers and promotes the iconic green-and-gold kangaroo, which for almost 30 years has been used by producers and manufacturers to promote their products as genuinely Australian.

“Our research shows country of origin is a key factor in product purchase decisions, particularly for food, and consumers are looking for goods made and grown in Australia, so it’s no surprise that businesses are keen to capitalise on country-of-origin branding,” Harrison said.

“The Australian Made, Australian Grown logo is the only registered country-of-origin certification trademark for all classes of Australian goods — as well as third-party accreditation it is a powerful selling tool.”

Harrison said the sharp rise in use of the logo could be largely attributed to increasing awareness of the benefits of locally made and grown goods, and the impact buying locally has on the economy, community and environment.

He said the lower Australian dollar is also helping, with opportunities for exporters booming.

All certified Australian Made, Australian Grown and Australian Seafood products can be found online in the product directory at www.australianmade.com.au.