Aussie diners rejoice – soon you may be able to tell if the seafood you’re being served is truly local! The Albanese government has proposed a Country of Origin labelling (CoOL) model for seafood in the hospitality sector, with consultation for the proposal now open.
The proposed CoOL model is part of a broader strategy to ensure the seafood industry is made more transparent for Australian consumers. It is intended to provide customers with better information about the seafood they are eating and to provide greater confidence that what they are buying is truly local.
The new model will require all seafood served in the hospitality sector to be labelled with the country of origin. This includes restaurants, cafes, and other hospitality businesses. The labels will provide consumers with a clear indication of where their seafood has come from and will be mandatory for any product that has been imported.
The proposal is also expected to benefit local producers, by making it easier for customers to identify and choose locally-sourced seafood. This could help boost demand for Australian seafood, and support jobs in the industry.
Tim Ayres, the Assistant Trade Minister, labelled it as a “fair dinkum reform” which will enable customers to quickly recognize the source of the seafood.
“Consumers will find it incredibly easy to understand, and it won’t be difficult for the industry to adhere to,” he said.
“By making seafood labelling mandatory and easier to understand, people will be able to identify if they are buying high-quality, locally-sourced seafood.”
Previously, the hospitality industry has expressed worries regarding this transformation, cautioning that it would add stress to businesses that are regularly switching their menus.
The seafood industry representatives have voiced their approval of the move, citing that it will provide consumers with the opportunity to make informed choices.
“Despite the fact that the supply chain of food is known in food service all the way to the kitchen door for food safety purposes, the information is often not passed on right now,” Seafood Industry Australia CEO Veronica Papacosta said.
