Coeliac Australia advocates on behalf of those with coeliac disease to push for accurate and clear labelling on packaged food products and in the food-service setting.
Following a three year transition period, ‘Plain English Allergen Labelling’ legislation is now in place. Coeliac Australia submitted feedback during the process to help guide the development of this legislation with consumer needs in mind. The changes to labelling requirements aim to make labelling clearer and more consistent for consumers with allergies or coeliac disease. A training session is planned to upskill members in this area.
We are currently involved in a working group to create a Best Practice Guideline for the communication of allergen information in a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) environment (for both intentionally present allergens and unintentional allergen presence). The aim of these guidelines will be to ensure transparent and consistent information is provided to consumers, allowing an informed choice.
We are always looking for opportunities to collaborate with the food industry, food enforcement agencies and legislators, both in Australia and more broadly overseas to ensure consumers have access to the information they need to choose foods safely.