Vegetable growers’ industry body AUSVEG has welcomed McDonald’s announcement it will display the country of origin of ingredients in its meals.
Country of origin labelling became mandatory on all food products sold in retail stores in July 2018, but food sold for immediate consumption at fast food outlets and cafes were exempt.
AUSVEG CEO James Whiteside said the decision by the fast food giant was a “show of faith” in Australian farmers providing high-quality food to consumers.
He said: “Fast food retailers should be upfront as to their food’s origin, particularly given Australian farmers produce enough food for the domestic market and continue to supply international markets – Australia produces enough food for 75 million people, three times its population.”
McDonald’s Australia CEO Andrew Gregory told Food & Drink Business the company was a major supporter of Australian suppliers. “We are very proud to be buying Australian, serving local ingredients and supporting our agriculture industry every day of the year,” he said.
“We have always been and remain committed to supporting local suppliers and farmers and are firm believers in the quality and taste of Australian home grown produce.
“Many of our long-standing partnerships with Aussie suppliers and farmers have spanned multiple decades. Working together, we continue to make each other better and find new ways to constantly improve the customer experience.”
The company uses locally sourced beef, chicken, milk, wheat, lettuce and tomatoes.
Whitehead said the exemption created an inconsistent, two-tiered approach that was problematic for consumers.
“Australian consumers have a strong preference to buy locally-grown food and they have a right to know where their food comes from. The country of origin labels that are mandatory for products sold in retail provide more information to consumers about their food, but the system’s impact is lessened by not being applied equally across all food sellers.
“The fast food industry [needs] to get on board and commit display the country of origin on their food products.”
Whiteside urged the rest of the fast food industry and other exempt industries to adopt the labelling allowing consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions.
Gregory said McDonald's has worked with the federal minister for agriculture David Littleproud to develop a country of origin webpage to help showcase “how much Aussie produce goes into our iconic products”.
