G/TBT/N/NZL/118  
16 January 2023  
(23-0377) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  NEW ZEALAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)  
Email: standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of a gency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Standards New Zealand  
Ph +64 4 498 5990  
wto@standards.co.nz  
www.standards.govt.nz  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Imported 
and domestically produced packaged alcoholic beverages (HS Chapter 22) containing 
0.5% or more alcohol by volume (ABV) that are required to bear a label for sale in 
Australia and New Zealand.  
5. Title, number of pages and langu age(s) of the notified document:  Proposal P1059 
Energy labelling on alcoholic beverages: Assessment Report; (69 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  The proposal considers amending the Australia New Zealand 
Food Standards Code to require energy (kilojoule/kilocalorie) labelling information on 
packaged alcoholic beverages containing 0.5% or more ABV sold in Australia and New 
Zealand.  
FSANZ has undertaken an assessment and developed a proposed draft variation to the 
Code. Standards affected are: 
(a) Standard 1.1.2 Definitions used throughout the Code;  
(b) Standard 1.2.1 Requirements to have labels or otherwise provide information, and;  
(c) Standard 2.7.1 Labelling of alcoholic beverages and food containing alcohol.  
The proposed draft variatio n requires a declaration of energy content information in a 
prescribed format on packaged alcoholic beverages containing 0.5% or more ABV. The 
location of the declaration is not prescribed. A three year transition period and a stock -
in-trade exemption for products packaged and labelled before the end of the transition 
period is proposed.  G/TBT/N/NZL/118  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Despite public health efforts, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 
Australian  and New Zealand populations continues to increase. Energy balance is 
fundamental for maintaining a healthy body weight and reducing the risk of chronic 
disease related to overweight and obesity. The Australian and New Zealand Dietary 
Guidelines recommend avoiding excessive alcohol intake to support achieving energy 
balance.  
Alcoholic beverages containing 0.5% or more ABV are currently exempt from the 
requirement to be labelled with nutrition information that applies to most other packaged 
foods in Australi a and New Zealand. Available evidence indicates consumers generally 
have a poor understanding of the energy content of alcoholic beverages.  
The objective of the proposed labelling is to provide energy content information on 
alcoholic beverages to enable co nsumers to make informed choices in line with Dietary 
Guidelines, which in turn can contribute to broader public health efforts to reduce the 
prevalence of overweight and obesity.  
This proposal follows two stages of preliminary work, including an evidence assessment, 
a consumer literature review and meta -analysis and an analysis of options for energy 
labelling on alcoholic beverages, completed by FSANZ in December 2021. Reports are 
available on the FSANZ website .; Consumer information, labelling; Protection of human 
health or safety  
8. Relevant documents:   
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (English)  
Available at https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/Pages/default.aspx  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  Notification to Australian and New Zealand Government 
anticipated June 2023 with adoption (gazett al) to follow shortly after, pending 
Government consideration.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined Mid -late 2026, after a three -year 
transition period.  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
The assessment summary and proposed draft variation to the Code are available (in 
English) from the Food Standa rds Australia New Zealand website:  
https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/code/proposals/Pages/Proposal -P1059 ---Energy -
labelling -on-alcoholic -beverages.aspx  
Email: standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au