Food Labelling in Australia: What You Need to Know Before You Print

If You’re Not 100% Sure Your Food Label Is Compliant, Read This First

You’ve nailed the product. The ingredients are spot on, the packaging looks great, and you're ready to hit print. But then that familiar doubt creeps in - “Are we actually compliant?”

If you're producing food in Australia, that question is more common than you'd think - and for good reason. Label regulations can feel vague, inconsistent, or just plain hard to find. You know there are rules, but knowing exactly what applies to your product? That’s where most people get stuck.

At LabEX, we’ve seen what happens when labels go wrong - missed allergens, incorrect date markings, or fine print that fails the legibility test. We’ve also helped clients fix those problems before they turned into costly delays or reprints.

So if you're unsure whether your label ticks all the right boxes, this guide will walk you through exactly what you need - without the jargon.

SOURCE: FSANZ

What Every Food Label Must Include (Legally)

If you're selling packaged food in Australia, there are certain things your label legally must have - no matter the product type. These are set by FSANZ and enforced by your local food authority (like NSW Food Authority).

Here’s a quick breakdown of the essentials:

🔹 Name of the Food

 Clearly describe what the product is - “fruit & nut bar” beats just “snack”.

🔹 Lot Identification
 Include a batch or lot number for traceability in case of recalls.

🔹 Name & Address of Supplier
You need an Australian or NZ business name and physical address - no PO boxes or websites.

🔹 Warning & Advisory Statements
Certain ingredients (like bee pollen, aspartame, unpasteurised juice) require specific warnings.

🔹 Ingredients List + Allergen Declarations
List all ingredients by weight, and highlight allergens like nuts, eggs, gluten, or sulphites. These must stand out visually - bold, caps, or colour.

🔹 Date Marking
Include either a Best Before or Use By date - depending on the product type and shelf life.

🔹 Nutrition Information Panel (NIP)
Unless exempt, show energy, protein, fat, sugars, sodium - both per serve and per 100g.

🔹 Storage Information
Directions for use and storage, as required for health and safety or to achieve shelf life

🔹 Country of Origin Label
Most foods must include the official bar chart label showing where the product and ingredients come from.

Even if you’ve already worked with us on wine labels or craft beer labels, food packaging is its own beast - and requires just as much care.

SOURCE: NSW Food Authority

5 Food Labelling Mistakes That Can Cost You

Food labels don’t need to be complicated - but getting one small detail wrong can hold up your launch, damage your brand, or even lead to fines.

Here are the most common slip-ups we see (and how to avoid them):

🔸 Hidden Allergen Info
Allergens must stand out. If they’re buried in body text or use decorative fonts, it’s non-compliant.
Fix: Use bold or caps. Make allergens easy to spot at a glance.

🔸 Outdated Ingredient Lists
Changed suppliers? Tweaked the recipe? Your label must reflect that.
Fix: Always review the full label after any ingredient change.

🔸 Hard-to-Read Design
Tiny fonts, poor contrast, or cluttered layouts = compliance risk.
Fix: Prioritise clarity. Design should support, not sabotage readability.

🔸 Missing Lot Numbers or Origin Labels
These are easy to forget - especially in short runs. But both are mandatory.
Fix: Add them to your print checklist and review before final approval.

🔸 Wrong Date Marking
Mixing up “Use By” and “Best Before” isn’t a small mistake - it’s a legal one.
Fix: Use FSANZ’s guidance to choose the correct date type.

Avoiding these errors is simple once compliance becomes a core part of your product label printing process - not an afterthought.

A Simple System to Keep Your Labels Compliant

Staying compliant doesn’t need to be hard - you just need a repeatable process.

Here’s what that looks like:

🔸 Run a Quick Label Checklist

Before print, check for:

• Product name
  
  
• Lot number
  
  
• Supplier details
  
  
• Ingredients & allergens
  
  
• Warnings
  
  
• Date marking
  
  
• Nutrition panel
  
  
• Storage information
  
  
• Country of origin

🔸 Review After Every Change
New ingredient? Different supplier? Update the label. Always.

🔸 Bookmark the FSANZ Rules
Most mistakes happen because someone didn’t double-check.

🔸 Share the Knowledge
Don’t leave it all to one person. Make sure your team knows the basics.

Add this to your design workflow and custom label printing becomes a whole lot easier - because you’re no longer scrambling to fix problems after the fact.

SOURCE: NSW Food Authority

Double-Check Before You Print

Food label compliance isn’t just a legal box to tick - it protects your customers, your product, and your brand. A single missed allergen or incorrect date can cause costly delays, product recalls, or loss of trust.

That’s why compliance needs to be built into your process - not rushed through at the last minute.

At LabEX, we make it easy to bring your packaging to life with fast, reliable food label printing. Our online platform is completely self-service, so you can upload your artwork, customise your order, and stay in control - all while keeping costs down.

Once you’ve checked everything is correct - hit upload. We’ll take care of the rest - delivering high-quality labels that look just as good in your hands as they did on screen.

SOURCE: Food Authority NSW

IMPORTANT: Please be sure to check specific food labelling guidelines in your own state or territory before proceeding. 

Visit FSANZ for a comprehensive guide to all food safety labelling and related information.