From July 1st 2018, the new country of origin labelling laws are due to come into force.
Time is running out for businesses to comply with the new laws, as many are at risk of being hit with fines of more than $1 million for non-compliance.
Design company Task by Kirk has been working with businesses to prepare them for the change.
Task by Kirk General Manager John Kapiniaris said: “I would estimate that only half of the required changes across product brands have been completed or are in the process of being completed.”
“It’s the small-to-medium-sized businesses that are falling behind because they either don’t have the resources available or don’t have a proper understanding of the requirements under the new laws,” he said.
“Any recall or disposal of non-compliant goods may run from the thousands to the millions of dollars, so it’s important to get it right.”
“The changes aren’t really that complex and we have been able to step businesses through the necessary changes.”
“The fact that we provide a design-to-print process saves clients money – up to 40 per cent in some cases – but just as importantly in the world of fast moving consumer goods, we help get products to shelf in half the time,” Mr Kapiniaris said.
From July 2018, food made, grown or produced in Australia will feature a kangaroo in a triangle and a bar chart that shows the proportion of Australian ingredients.
Companies who do not meet the compliance of the new food labelling law face penalties of up to $1.1 million, while individuals can be fined up to $220,000.
For more information on the labels and the law, visit http://www.foodlabels.industry.gov.au