Our role - labels

When it comes to food labelling, the NSW Food Authority is responsible for enforcing the labelling provisions of the Food Standards Code, outlined in Chapters 1 and 2, within the jurisdiction of NSW.

Chapter 1 of the Food Standards Code covers general labelling and information requirements that are relevant to all foods, and sets out which requirements apply in different situations (eg. food for retail sale, food for catering purposes, or an intra-company transfer).

Chapter 2 covers specific labelling and information requirements that apply to certain food products only.

The Food Authority also administers the labelling requirements of the Food Act 2003 (NSW), which contains sections about the provision of information that could mislead consumers.

The Food Authority is not responsible for:

• the presence and accuracy of total weights and measures statements, which are the responsibility of the National Measurement Institute. Note that the Food Authority is responsible for percentage ingredient statements.
• barcodes
• recycling codes
• pet food
• therapeutic products registered by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (including dietary aids and supplements).

For detailed and technical advice on food labelling, contact a professional food safety or labelling consultant. See Professional advice.

For more information about the Food Authority's broader roles and responsibilities see our corporate overview.