From Label to Liable: Scams, Scandals and Secrecy - Voiceless

ange’, caged eggs rarely feature images of hens
suffering in small wire cages. 269 Similarly, consumers
who purchase factory farmed pigmeat are unlikely
to find images of depressed sows in metal stalls on
their ham and pork products. This method of
‘emotive’ communication, 270 which has been used
on tobacco labelling, is likely to meet some
resistance despite the fact that it clearly, concisely
and immediately conveys the truth about the
product to the average supermarket consumer.
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT
– KEY POINTS
• Animal-derived food product labels should
be limited to a few words defined in
legislation and linked to uniform animal
protection standards.
• Terms such as ‘caged’, ‘bred free-range’ or
‘free-range’ are currently of limited value
as they are neither defined in legislation
nor linked to enforceable standards.
• A ‘traffic light’ labelling system could be
implemented to differentiate between low,
medium and high levels of animal welfare.
However in order to be effective it would
need to be linked to clearly understood,
enforceable standards.
• Manufacturers can be quick to exploit
consumer uncertainty in the name of
good animal welfare where strict
standards are not in place.
• The placement of photos or images of
animals in battery cages and sow stalls
on products such as caged eggs or
factory farmed ham and pork products
would help eradicate confusion brought
about by misleading labelling or
insufficiently clear terms.
6. VEGETARIANISM,
VEGANISM AND
HIDDEN ANIMAL
PRODUCTS
a) While vegetarianism and veganism are growing
markets in Australia, at present there are no
mandatory labelling requirements to assist
consumers who choose not to buy animal products
and by-products. Consequently many people with
these dietary requirements inadvertently purchase
food products derived from animals. Some commonly
listed food ingredients are set out below:
i) Emulsifiers 481, 472 and 471 which are
frequently found in bread, may contain animal
fats, particularly 472 which is derived from
glycerine and may be an animal product. 271
ii) Natural flavours which are found in some
brands of baked beans, soups, chips and other
foods, can be derived from either plant or animal
sources. In the absence of further information, it
is ambiguous whether or not foods containing
these ingredients are appropriate for vegetarians
or vegans. 272
iii) Certain food additives such as flavour
enhancer 627, disodium guanylate, may be
derived from dried fish. Disodium guanylate is
often found in instant noodles, potato chips and
snacks, savoury rice, tinned vegetables and
instant soup. 273
iv) ‘Gum base’ is often innocuously listed as an
ingredient in chewing gum. Glycerine and
glycerol, among the possible components of gum
base, can be animal-derived. 274
v) Isinglass, which is a form of gelatine made
from fish bladders, in used extensively in beer
production and may also form part of the wine
making process. 275
269 Such a measure would be comparable to consumer information pictures currently featured on tobacco products.
270 L Biener and T Taylor, ‘The Continuing Importance of Emotion in Tobacco Control Media Campaigns: A Response to Hastings and MacFadyen’
.
271 VeggieGlobal, VeggieGlobal Nutrition Guide: Non-Vegetarian Food Additives .
272 Food Standards Australia New Zealand, Flavourings and Flavour Enhancers User Guide, August 2002, 2.
273 Mutual Benefit Marketing, Flavour Enhancers .
274 Indian Vegan, Frequently Asked Questions .
275 Vegetarian Society, Stumbling Blocks ; Caroline Pyvich, ‘Why is Wine so Fined’ Vegetarian Journal, Volume
XVI, No 1, January/February 1997
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From Label to Liable Lifting the veil on animal-derived food product labelling in Australia