Developing a policy for pre-packaged food sold online in Australia and NZ

The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code requires most pre-packaged foods to bear a label with certain mandatory information when sold in retail outlets. However, there is currently no guidance or explicit requirement surrounding what information must be provided to inform consumers’ purchasing decisions when food is sold online.

Food Ministers have agreed for the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) to seek feedback on developing a policy guideline on information requirements for pre-packaged food sold online.

This policy guideline will be used to inform any future work on information requirements for pre-packaged food sold online in the trans-Tasman food regulation system.

The scope of this project is focused on information available to the consumer purchasing food online when they do not have access to the physical label to inform their purchasing decision. This is limited to food products required to bear a label in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. 

A policy paper outlining the issues was provided to Food Ministers in July 2025, and stakeholders are being asked to read the paper and provide their views through an online survey via the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing Consultation Hub.

The consultation period will run for a six-week period from 3 November–12 December 2025. The FRSC will then analyse the submissions and use this information to finalise its advice to Food Ministers.

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