NZ Government Proposes Digital Food Labels to Boost New Supermarkets Entry

The Government is acting to reduce onerous food labelling requirements on new supermarkets seeking to enter the New Zealand grocery market.

Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today that the Government has initiated consultation on a proposal to trial the use of digital labels for lower risk imported goods.

Under the Food Act, the Government must consult before making changing food regulations.

We have heard that one of the barriers to new supermarkets entering the New Zealand market is the cost of having to re-label pre-packaged products to meet New Zealand and Australian food labelling standards, Nicola Willis says.

Retailers would still need to provide shoppers with information about allergens, ingredients and nutrition, but they would not have to go to the expense of re-labelling products to do so.

Information could be made accessible in-store and online via on-shelf QR codes, in-store digital labels, websites and mobile apps.

If successful, the proposed trial would make it easier for new supermarkets to get established in New Zealand, Nicola Willis says.

Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard says: Having met with many food businesses this year, it’s clear to me that physical labelling can be a costly barrier. If we can introduce digital labelling to provide additional flexibility – we should. It’s about fixing what matters.

Last week the Trans-Tasman Food Ministers acknowledged the growing relevance of digital labelling. The findings from this trial will support the newly initiated trans-Tasman work on digital labelling.

Products would come from trusted trading partners with strong food regulatory systems similar to New Zealand’s own.

Trial participants will still need to provide information which aligns with the Food Act, the compositional requirements of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code and all other relevant legislation.

As always, food must be safe and suitable, but food affordability is front of mind for me, Andrew Hoggard says.

As required by the Food Act 2014, the Minister must consult with stakeholders who may be affected. Public consultation on the trial closes on 19 December 2025. Have your say here.

If the trial proceeds, potential participants will be invited to register their interest.