Source: Radio New Zealand
Consumer NZ has warned it could be harder for some people to access key health information. Unsplash / Getty Images
GS1 New Zealand, the body behind the barcode standards used by retailers worldwide, says digital labelling will give people more information about products.
The government has announced a trial of digital labelling on some imported foods, meaning they will have a QR code, rather than nutritional information, on the package.
Consumer NZ researcher Belinda Castles told Morning Report on Friday the details on the trial were quite vague in the consultation paper and raised concerns of accessing key health information.
“We’re quite concerned that that really important nutrition information, ingredients list, and of course allergen labelling, which is super important for people that have allergies, you know, consumers are going to have to scan the code for that and we think that’s totally not acceptable.”
The QR codes are set to only be on ‘low risk’ food items, but Castles said more detail s were needed on this and questioned what qualified as low risk.
GS1 New Zealand Chief Executive Peter Stevens told Morning Report this was a good way for consumers to trial the labelling as long as it adheres to international standards.
“Where our plea to the government is that any trial, even be it limited, is using the generally accepted international standards for digital labelling.”
Stevens did also say it was “reasonable” for consumers to expect critical information, like allergens and ingredients to be displayed on the product packaging as well as the digital label.
This was something he said was referred to as a “digital twin”.
Castles said it was accepted that digital labelling will become more widely used but “core information” needed to be on the package.
Consumer NZ had also flagged the issue of equity, where some consumers may not have the means to access the information on the QR code.
“This trial is dependent on consumers, one, having a smartphone, two, having internet access while they’re in store and three, being able to understand the information we’re getting,” Castles said.
Stevens said it was up to the shops to provide any mechanisms that could support customers to use the digital label but said the step was about expanding rather than restricting accessibility.
“I think the balancing act here is important to make sure that the consumer can find out, even in the pantry at home, what the product is and what it can do and what it’s got in it.”
He said enabling the use of cell phones by consumers to find out more about products was “the future” and it was already happening globally.
“Our experience globally is that they [consumers] get a huge benefit because they can see the information that they need, they can find further information that is not readily available on the pack including things like recycling information and videos about how to use but also they can expand the size of the font.”
An added benefit was the opportunity this provided exporters, Stevens said.
“Our exporters must get on the bus with us, because it is a huge opportunity to connect to overseas consumers to prove the New Zealand story.”
“After all, we’re often asking them to potentially pay a premium for our products”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
