While basic details – product description, country of origin, ingredients, allergens, nutrition, quantity and use-by dates – are required for most foods, health, provenance and some other claims are not well regulated. They can confuse and even mislead consumers, especially where the specific reason for the claim isn’t clear or doesn’t mean what consumers think it does.

Take the labels that claim a product is more “natural” or produced “naturally”. Sometimes it’s technically accurate, but typically the benefit is far from clear and leads to incorrect assumptions being made by consumers. Consumers may presume more natural foods are healthier, but most studies comparing the nutritional content of organic and conventionally grown foods have found no significant differences in key vitamin and mineral content. A few years ago, some chicken brands were publicly criticised when they labelled their products “free of added hormones”. The fact is hormones have not been used in chicken production for decades – so unless all chicken products carry the same claim, it suggests that added hormones are indeed present in some. The same applies to “antibiotic-free”. All meat, milk, seafood and honey sold must be free from any harmful residues. Australian regulatory authorities control and monitor the use of antibiotic products in animals and test imported food for antibiotic residues. 

Typically, these claims are driven by marketers seeking new points of difference and novel ways to appeal to consumers – often through fear of the unknown. Understandably, too, there’s a lag between creative marketing campaigns and regulation. 

So, how can consumers make the right choice in the face of an overwhelming array of claims? First, consider what’s most important to you: is it health, country of origin, animal care, environmental footprint, or sugar or salt content? Then research the claim. What do Food Standards Australia New Zealand, nutrition experts (not celebrity chefs or wellness bloggers) and industry bodies such as Dairy Australia and Meat & Livestock Australia say? Compare similar products. How do they differ in quality and price – and is it worth this difference in terms of the claim’s importance? Armed with this information, you can better scrutinise packaging and how it’s designed to appeal to your needs, desires and fears.

In Australia we have robust regulatory systems to ensure food is safe and is produced by labour paid fairly under workplace laws and on a farm that abides by environmental regulations. We also have rapidly developing technical capacity for consumers to know exactly how and where their food has been produced, as well as a strong culture of farmer pride. The challenge is to apply the same rigour to closing the gap between the legal basis of food claims and what consumers think food labels are telling them – through regulatory scrutiny as well as through healthy consumer scepticism.