Country of Origin Labelling for food (CoOL Information Standard)
Food sold in Australia must carry country-of-origin labelling per the 2016 Information Standard.
Who must comply
Retailers and food manufacturers supplying priority food in Australia.
What triggers it
Supplying priority food (most food not consumed as it leaves the supplier) at retail.
When due
Continuous.
Evidence required
Compliant labels, supplier declarations, percentage-of-AU calculations.
Max penalty
Civil penalty for breaching the information standard or making false or misleading origin claims: for a body corporate the greatest of $100M, 3× the benefit, or 30% of adjusted turnover during the breach period (contraventions from 28 March 2026; earlier conduct: $50M limb); $2.5M for individuals
Who must comply with this? The applicability test by industry, business structure and size.
Summary
The Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016 (made under the ACL) requires priority food sold in retail to carry CoOL labels including the kangaroo logo for products made/grown/produced/packed in Australia, plus the percentage of Australian-sourced ingredients on a coloured bar chart.
Enforced by
Source legislation
Industries
Topics
Related
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Frequently asked questions
- Who must comply with Country of Origin Labelling for food (CoOL Information Standard)?
- Retailers and food manufacturers supplying priority food in Australia.
- What triggers Country of Origin Labelling for food (CoOL Information Standard)?
- Supplying priority food (most food not consumed as it leaves the supplier) at retail.
- When is Country of Origin Labelling for food (CoOL Information Standard) due?
- Continuous.
- What is the maximum penalty for Country of Origin Labelling for food (CoOL Information Standard)?
- Civil penalty for breaching the information standard or making false or misleading origin claims: for a body corporate the greatest of $100M, 3× the benefit, or 30% of adjusted turnover during the breach period (contraventions from 28 March 2026; earlier conduct: $50M limb); $2.5M for individuals
- What evidence is required for Country of Origin Labelling for food (CoOL Information Standard)?
- Compliant labels, supplier declarations, percentage-of-AU calculations.
Source: https://www.industry.gov.au/initiatives-and-services. Rules Mate is not a law firm. Always verify against the live regulator source before acting.