Australian Consumer Law (Free Range Egg Labelling) Information Standard 2017

Dated   18 April 2017

Michael McCormack

Contents

Part 1—Preliminary                                                                                                     1

1  Name........................................................................................................................................ 1

2  Commencement........................................................................................................................ 1

3  Authority.................................................................................................................................. 1

4  Definitions................................................................................................................................ 1

5  Application............................................................................................................................... 2

6  Inconsistency of State and Territory laws................................................................................. 2

Part 2—Free range egg labelling and display requirements                                     2

7  Meaning of the term free range eggs........................................................................................ 2

8  Labelling requirements............................................................................................................. 3

9  Display requirements................................................................................................................ 3

Part 1—Preliminary

1  Name

                   This instrument is the Australian Consumer Law (Free Range Egg Labelling) Information Standard 2017.

2  Commencement

                   Each provision of this information standard specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table.  Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

3  Authority

                   This instrument is made under section 134 of Schedule 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.

4  Definitions

                   In this instrument:

egg means an egg laid by a hen.

free range egg has the meaning given by section 7.

hen means a female domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus).

laying cycle for a group of hens means the period during which the hens are kept together, are managed in the same way and are able to lay eggs.

packaging for eggs means anything that completely or partly encloses, contains or packs the eggs.

stocking density for hens means the maximum number of hens per hectare that have access to an outdoor range on any day during the laying cycle.

5  Application

                   This information standard applies to:

(a) packaging labels for eggs for wholesale or retail sale; and

(b) eggs that are displayed for retail sale without packaging.

6  Inconsistency of State and Territory laws

                   This information standard is not intended to exclude or limit the operation of a law of a State or Territory that is capable of operating concurrently with the provisions of Part 2.

Part 2—Free range egg labelling and display requirements

7  Meaning of the term free range eggs

             (1)  Free range eggs are eggs laid by hens that:

                   (a)        had meaningful and regular access to an outdoor range during daylight hours during the laying cycle;

                   (b)        were able to roam and forage on the outdoor range; and

                   (c)        were subject to a stocking density of 10,000 hens or less.

             (2)  For the purposes of paragraph (1)(a), disregard occasions when hens were prevented from accessing the outdoor range because:

                   (a)        the hens were undergoing nest box training; or

                   (b)        weather conditions endangered the safety or health of the hens; or

                   (c)        the hens would have been exposed to predators; or

                   (d)        the hens were being medicated or otherwise cared for; or

                   (e)        there were exceptional circumstances that posed a significant risk to the safety or health of the hens.

             (3)  For the purposes of subsection (2), the total period of time for which access to the outdoor range was prevented must not be unreasonable.

8  Labelling requirements

            (1) This section applies to packaging labels for eggs for wholesale or retail sale.

(2) A person must not label packaging for eggs with the words ‘free range’ unless:

                   (a)        the eggs are free range eggs; and

                   (b)        the words ‘free range’ are used in relation to the eggs; and

                   (c)        the stocking density is prominently displayed on the packaging.

9  Display requirements

             (1) This section applies if eggs are being displayed for retail sale without packaging.

             (2) A person must not represent that the eggs are free range eggs unless:

                   (a)        the eggs are free range eggs; and

                   (b)        the display has a sign containing the words ‘free range’; and

                   (c)        the sign is prominently displayed; and

                   (d)        the sign prominently displays the stocking density; and

                   (e)        subsection (3) is satisfied.

             (3) If eggs other than free range eggs are being displayed at or near the display of free range eggs, the display of free range eggs must be separate from the display of other eggs, so that a person at or near the displays can reasonably distinguish between:

                   (a)        eggs to which the sign required by paragraph (2)(b) relates; and

                   (b)        the other eggs.