Country of Origin Labelling(COOL)

What is Country of Origin Labelling?

Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) is the requirement for most packaged food sold in Australia to display a label indicating where the food was grown, produced, made, or packed. Unlike most food labelling requirements in Australia, COOL is enforced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) under the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016, made under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 — not by FSANZ.

New Zealand has separate country of origin requirements under the Food Act 2014. The ACCC's scheme applies only to food sold in Australia.

What the COOL Scheme Requires

The bar chart and kangaroo logo

For most packaged food grown or made in Australia, the label must include:

1. A bar chart showing the proportion of Australian ingredients by weight (expressed as a percentage). The bar chart uses a standard prescribed graphic — a horizontal bar that fills from left to right based on the percentage of Australian ingredients.

2. A kangaroo logo to the left of the bar chart (mandatory for Australian-grown or -made products with the bar chart).

3. A text claim describing the product's origin status — for example, "Made in Australia from at least 80% Australian ingredients" or "Packed in Australia from local and imported ingredients".

The four origin claims

The Information Standard defines four main claim types:

• Grown in [country] — all significant ingredients were grown in the country, and all or virtually all production occurred there.
• Product of [country] — all significant ingredients were grown in the country, and all major processing occurred there. Slightly more lenient than "Grown in".
• Made in [country] — the food underwent its last substantial transformation in that country. Does not require Australian ingredients.
• Packed in [country] — the food was packed in that country but may use imported ingredients.

What foods are covered

The COOL scheme applies to most unpackaged and packaged food sold in Australia at retail. Exemptions include food sold for immediate consumption (restaurants, cafes, food courts), confectionery, biscuits, snack foods in packages under 1 kg, dietary supplements, and certain other categories listed in the Information Standard.

Common mistakes

Using "Made in Australia" without the bar chart. If your product qualifies as "Made in Australia" but contains imported ingredients, you still need the bar chart and percentage disclosure — the percentage may be a low number, but it must be stated.

Confusing FSANZ and ACCC requirements. COOL is an ACCC matter, not an FSANZ matter. Compliance questions should go to the ACCC, not your state food authority.

Not updating labels after supply chain changes. If you switch from an Australian supplier to an imported one, your origin percentage changes and your label must be updated before you continue selling.

How Batchbase Supports Country of Origin Labelling

Batchbase allows you to flag each ingredient with its country of origin. The system calculates your Australian ingredient percentage by weight, helping you determine which COOL claim applies to your product and what the bar chart percentage should be. When you change a supplier or ingredient origin, the percentage recalculates automatically.

Related Standards and References

• Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016 — the primary ACCC instrument
• Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) — the parent legislation
• ACCC country of origin food labelling guidance
• FSANZ food standards code