Woolies set to spruik locally-sourced produce on the pack

Woolworths is poised to launch a new "Meet the Grower" initiative on its packaged produce to boost its credentials as a supplier of local products.

From next week, Woolworths will display a photo of the supplier, information on the length of time they've supplied Woolworths and a QR code providing even more supplier information on the packaging of many of its fruit and vegetables.

According to Woolworths, in a study it commissioned last year, it found most respondents believed about 40 per cent of fruit and vegetables sold in supermarkets are imported, when in fact 96 per cent of fruit and vegetables sold at Woolworths is Australian grown.

"Our customers are constantly telling us that they want greater transparency of where their fresh food comes from. From next week, our customers can simply scan a QR code on some of their favourite fruit and vegetables to access information about the farmers who grow them,” said Paul Harker, head of the produce division, Woolworths supermarkets.

"As Australia’s largest national supermarket, we have a responsibility to better explain to customers where their food comes from and to be more transparent," said Harker.

The first product to launch the program will be apples from Victorian fruit supplier Montague Fresh with an additional 57 products rolled out over the next two months and close to 100 products by Christmas.

"We’ve worked with Woolworths for over 45 years and I am proud that my face will now appear on Aussie apples at Woolies,” said Scott Montague from Montague Fresh.

“A lot of people think the fruit they buy is imported. This initiative will help customers understand that they can buy and support Australian-grown when shopping in the supermarket.”