Mandatory statements that must appear on certain foods to alert consumers to a particular characteristic or risk under the Food Standards Code.
Mandatory statements that must appear on certain foods to alert consumers to a particular characteristic or risk under the Food Standards Code. Advisory statements are specific statements that the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code requires on the label of certain foods to draw a consumer's attention to a particular characteristic of the food. They differ from warning statements, which the Code treats as more serious, but both are mandatory where they apply. Advisory statements are set out in the labelling provisions and attach to defined foods or ingredients rather than to all foods. Examples of foods that carry advisory statements include products containing certain substances or additives where a proportion of people may be sensitive, foods that need particular handling, and foods such as unpasteurised products or those where a statement helps consumers use the food safely. The Code prescribes the circumstances that trigger each statement, and the required statement must appear clearly so it can be read and understood. For a manufacturer, complying with advisory statement requirements means checking whether any of the triggers in the Code apply to the product, for example a particular ingredient, additive or characteristic, and if so including the exact statement required in a legible form on the label. This is separate from, but often sits near, the mandatory allergen declarations. Businesses commonly work through the advisory and warning statement provisions as part of their overall label check, alongside the ingredient list, allergen summary and date marking. Because the statements attach to specific ingredients or characteristics, reformulating a product or changing a supplier can add or remove a required statement, so labels are reviewed whenever a recipe changes. A drinks manufacturer adding a permitted ingredient that requires an advisory statement checks the relevant provision in the Food Standards Code, then prints the exact wording the Code prescribes on the label in a clear, legible form, reviewing the requirement again if the recipe or supplier changes.
Frequently asked questions
What is an advisory statement?
It is a mandatory statement required on certain foods to draw a consumer's attention to a particular characteristic of the food, set out in the Food Standards Code.
How is an advisory statement different from a warning statement?
Both are mandatory where they apply, but the Code treats warning statements as more serious, while advisory statements alert consumers to a characteristic of the food.
Which foods need advisory statements?
The Code lists specific foods, ingredients and characteristics that trigger a statement, so only defined products need them rather than all foods.
Are advisory statements the same as allergen declarations?
No. Allergen declarations are a separate mandatory requirement, though advisory statements often sit near the allergen information on the label.
When should a business review advisory statements?
Whenever a recipe, ingredient or supplier changes, because a change can add or remove a statement that the Code requires for a particular characteristic.
