NZ Pork (NZP) has long called for clear country of origin labelling (CoOL) on all imported pork, most of which is produced in countries using practices ruled illegal in NZ.
Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark is letting down Kiwi consumers by refusing calls for mandatory labelling to clearly identify all imported pork, NZ Pork chief executive David Baines says.
The Consumers’ Right to Know (Country of Origin of Food) Act 2018 only requires pork and cured pork to be labelled with its country of origin.
All other imported pork which is then further processed in NZ only needs to include the name and address of a NZ supplier on a label.
“Minister Clark has refused to meet with us to discuss this important issue and this is a slap in the face for New Zealanders who want to know where their pork comes from,” Baines said.
“He has now confirmed the CoOL provisions in the Act, which will be regulated through a Consumer Information Standard (Origin of Food), will not be changed.
“This is despite the Act allowing him to also include other food categories.”
Baines says it is concerning that legislation aimed at strengthening consumers’ right to know will allow some key categories of imported pork to sit in supermarket chillers with nothing to show that it originated overseas.
“This labelling will mislead many into thinking they are purchasing NZ pork when they are purchasing imported pork that has simply been further processed by a NZ manufacturer,” he said.
“This is directly opposed to what research has shown consumers want, which is clear CoOL.”
The range of products further treated in NZ can include bacon, ham, pork sausages (whether fresh, cured, smoked or pre-cooked), reformed pork or minced pork, pulled pork, salami, and injected or marinated pork.
While cured pork products are covered by the Bill, any other pork which is further processed in any way apart from cured falls outside the current scope of the proposed regulations.
David Baines | March 15, 2021 from GlobalHQ on Vimeo.
NZ Pork claims about 62% of NZ’s pork consumption is imported, with about 85% of this imported pork further processed.
Imported pork presented as marinated, infused, moisture enhanced and reformed is a substantial category.
It is believed about 10 tonnes of imported pork is sold in such products in NZ each week.
“Minister Clark is clearly not taking the views of consumers into account,” he said.
“NZ is facing an increasing flood of imported pork products.
“Consumers want accurate information about the origin of certain foods so they can make informed purchasing decisions.
“They rightly expect clear and unambiguous information about the origin of all processed pork.”
Last year, research undertaken by UMR found more than 80% of New Zealanders believe it is misleading if imported pork further processed in NZ is not labelled as imported.
A total 85% of Kiwis agree that imported pork marinated in NZ should be labelled as imported pork, and 84% agree that imported pork sitting on supermarket shelves beside pigs raised in NZ should be clearly labelled as imported pork.
