{"id":"F2025L00751","name":"Competition and Consumer (Australian Consumer Law—Country of Origin Information for Seafood for Immediate Consumption) Information Standard 2025","slug":"competition-and-consumer-australian-consumer-law-country-of-origin-information-for-seafood-for-immed","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":442873,"registerId":"F2025L00751-fast-fetch-1775957796678","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Competition and Consumer (Australian Consumer Law—Country of Origin Information for Seafood for Immediate Consumption) Information Standard 2025","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n![Commonwealth coat of arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nCompetition and Consumer (Australian Consumer Law—Country of Origin Information for Seafood for Immediate Consumption) Information Standard 2025\n\nI, Tim Ayres, Minister for Industry and Innovation, and Minister for Science, make the following information standard.\n\n24 June 2025\n\n \n\nTim Ayres\n\nMinister for Industry and Innovation  Minister for Science  for the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1 Name\n\n2 Commencement\n\n3 Authority\n\n4 Definitions\n\nPart 2—Information requirements\n\n5 Information requirement for supplies of seafood for immediate consumption\n\n6 Certain information must be made available on request\n\n7 Record keeping\n\n \n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Competition and Consumer (Australian Consumer Law—Country of Origin Information for Seafood for Immediate Consumption) Information Standard 2025.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument 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.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument The later of:(a) the day after this instrument is registered; and(b) 1 July 2026.\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.\n\nNote: Under subsection 134(1) of Schedule 2 to the Act, the Minister may make an information standard in relation to the provision of information for goods or services (or both) of a particular kind.\n\n4  Definitions\n\nNote: Expressions have the same meaning in this instrument as in the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 as in force from time to time—see paragraph 13(1)(b) of the Legislation Act 2003.\n\n (1) In this instrument:\n\nfood has the same meaning as in the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991.\n\nfood for special medical purposes has the same meaning as in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 2.9.5 – Food for special medical purposes as in force from time to time.\n\nNote: In 2025, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 2.9.5 – Food for special medical purposes [F2024C00915] could be viewed on the Federal Register of Legislation (www.legislation.gov.au).\n\nfund raising event has the same meaning as in the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016.\n\nharvested in Australia: seafood is harvested in Australia if the seafood has been harvested:\n\n (a) within Australia; or\n\n (b) from the territorial sea of Australia; or\n\n (c) from the exclusive economic zone of Australia.\n\nharvested outside Australia: seafood is harvested outside Australia if the seafood is not harvested in Australia.\n\nmedical institution has the same meaning as in the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016.\n\nseafood means:\n\n (a) aquatic vertebrate or aquatic invertebrate animals, including shellfish, but excluding mammals, amphibians or reptiles; or\n\n (b) the eggs, larvae or spat of animals covered by paragraph (a).\n\nNote 1: This definition includes fish, molluscs, crustaceans, jellyfishes, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, eels and other aquatic animals.\n\nNote 2: See also subsection (2).\n\nseafood product means a good that is:\n\n (a) food that is or contains seafood;\n\nbut does not include:\n\n (b) food in which no portion of the seafood remains solid, including condiments, flavourings, sauces, oils, marinades, and stocks; or\n\n (c) shelf stable food that consists of chopped, diced, minced, pureed or shaved seafood, or which contains chopped, diced, minced, pureed or shaved seafood as an ingredient; or\n\n (d) food that contains seafood only because of the use of an ingredient that is a food referred to in paragraph (b) or (c); or\n\n (e) food for special medical purposes.\n\nthe Act means the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.\n\nExtent of the definition of seafood\n\n (2) To avoid doubt, for the purposes of the definition of seafood in subsection (1), an animal is seafood regardless of whether:\n\n (a) it is a saltwater animal or a freshwater animal; or\n\n (b) it is dead or alive; or\n\n (c) it was harvested from the wild or as part of an aquaculture process.\n\nPart 2—Information requirements\n\n \n\n5  Information requirement for supplies of seafood for immediate consumption\n\n (1) Under subsection 134(1) of Schedule 2 to the Act, this section sets out an information standard for a seafood product that:\n\n (a) is intended for immediate consumption after it is supplied; and\n\n (b) is marketed as being or containing seafood; and\n\n (c) is supplied within 24 hours after purchase; and\n\n (d) is not supplied:\n\n (i) by a canteen, school, prison, hospital or medical institution; or\n\n (ii) at a fund raising event; and\n\n (e) is not supplied in circumstances where labelling is required by the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016.\n\nNote: A product may be marketed as containing seafood in a range of ways, including where the product is listed on a menu, or displayed for sale, and:\n\n(a) the name of the product refers to seafood; or\n\n(b) the name of the product is commonly associated with food that is, or contains, seafood (for example, surf ‘n’ turf is commonly associated with a serving of steak and prawns).\n\n (2) Where the seafood product is of a kind specified in an item of the following table, the information set out in that item must be provided in relation to the seafood product, and must be:\n\n (a) in writing; and\n\n (b) clearly visible, prominent and legible; and\n\n (c) in English.\n\n \n\n- Information that must be provided in relation to seafood for immediate consumption\n- Item If the seafood product is, or contains, … the information must include…\n- 1 seafood harvested in Australia only (a) the word ‘Australian’ in relation to the product; or(b) an abbreviation (such as ‘A’) in relation to the product, with additional information making it clear that the seafood is being described as:(i) Australian; or(ii) harvested in Australia.\n- 2 seafood harvested outside Australia only (a) the word ‘imported’ in relation to the product; or(b) an abbreviation (such as ‘I’) in relation to the product, with additional information making it clear the seafood is being described as:(i) imported; or(ii) harvested outside Australia.\n- 3 seafood harvested in Australia and seafood harvested outside Australia (a) the word ‘mixed’ in relation to the product; or(b) an abbreviation (such as ‘M’) in relation to the product, with additional information making it clear the product is being described as:(i) mixed; or(ii) containing seafood harvested in Australia and harvested outside Australia; or(c) words (such as ‘Australian’ or ‘Imported’) which separately identify the seafood that was harvested in Australia and the seafood that was harvested outside Australia; or(d) abbreviations (such as ‘A’ or ‘I’) which separately identify the seafood that was harvested in Australia and the seafood harvested outside Australia, with additional information making it clear the seafood is being described by the seller as seafood harvested in Australia or seafood harvested outside Australia (as the case may be).\n\n\nNote 1: The statement may be in a digital or physical form and can be included (for example) on a menu.\n\nNote 2: Additional labelling about the location the seafood is harvested from may also be used. It can be broad (for example, State or Territory in Australia, or the country from which the seafood is harvested) or specific (for example the town, the city or region), but the information must include the relevant A (Australian), I (Imported) or M (Mixed) origin label.\n\n6  Certain information must be made available on request\n\n (1) Under subsection 134(1) of Schedule 2 to the Act, this section sets out an information standard for a seafood product that meets all of the following:\n\n (a) the product is supplied by a person (the supplier) to another person (the purchaser) in Australia;\n\n (b) section 5 does not apply in relation to the product;\n\n (c) the product is not supplied:\n\n (i) by a canteen, school, prison, hospital or medical institution; or\n\n (ii) at a fund raising event;\n\n (d) the product is not supplied in circumstances where labelling is required by the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016.\n\n (2) If the purchaser requests information about the origin of the product for the purpose of enabling the purchaser, or another person to whom the product is subsequently supplied, to comply with section 5 in relation to:\n\n (a) supplying the product to another person; or\n\n (b) supplying food that uses the product as an ingredient to another person;\n\nthe supplier must provide the information to the purchaser in writing.\n\n (3) Section 137AA of Schedule 2 to the Act applies to this section.\n\nNote: A pecuniary penalty may be imposed for a contravention of a requirement of this section: see section 137AA of Schedule 2 to the Act.\n\n7  Record keeping\n\n (1) If:\n\n (a) a person offers to supply a seafood product to which section 5 applies; and\n\n (b) the person, in making that offer, has provided a written statement that includes the information required by the table in subsection 5(2);\n\nthe person must keep the records that the person relied on for that information.\n\n (2) The records must be kept for 3 months after the food is last offered for supply.\n\n (3) Section 137AA of Schedule 2 to the Act applies to this section.\n\nNote: A pecuniary penalty may be imposed for a contravention of a requirement of this section: see section 137AA of Schedule 2 to the Act.\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument establishes a new information standard under subsection 134(1) of Schedule 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (s3) for seafood intended for immediate consumption. It explicitly excludes supplies already subject to the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016 (s5(1)(e), s6(1)(d)), so it supplements existing labelling rules rather than purporting to broaden them beyond those carve‑outs."},"complexity_factors":["Definitions and breadth of coverage (detailed seafood and seafood product definitions, inclusions/exclusions) — s4","Multiple eligibility criteria and exemptions for immediate‑consumption rule (timing, marketing, supply channels excluded) — s5(1)","Several alternative labelling options and permitted abbreviations requiring clarifying text (items in s5(2) table)","Interplay and carve‑out with existing Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016 — s5(1)(e), s6(1)(d)","Obligation to provide origin information on request and cross‑reference to pecuniary penalty provisions (s6 and Schedule 2, s137AA) — s6(2)–(3)","Record‑keeping obligation and limited retention period (3 months) tied to offered supply events — s7(1)–(2)","Commencement timing and potential transitional effects (deferred start date) — s2","Notes and examples (e.g. what counts as ‘marketed as’ and permitted digital/physical statements) that create interpretive discretion — Notes to s5"],"plain_english_summary":"Requires suppliers of seafood for immediate consumption (supplied within 24 hours and marketed as containing seafood) to state in writing whether the seafood is “Australian”, “Imported” or “Mixed” (or abbreviations with clarifying text). Exemptions include canteens, schools, prisons, hospitals, medical institutions, fundraising events and products already covered by the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard.\n\nSuppliers must provide origin information on request and keep supporting records for three months; contraventions may attract pecuniary penalties (ss5–7). It affects foodservice businesses and their suppliers by adding labelling choices, record‑keeping and compliance costs."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation appears tightly scoped to its original purpose. It targets a specific gap in consumer protection law: country-of-origin disclosure for ready-to-eat seafood sold in food service settings. The exemptions (institutions, fundraising events, heavily processed foods) and the 24-hour consumption window keep the scope narrow and administratively manageable. There is no evidence of scope creep beyond the core policy objective of informing consumers about seafood provenance at point of sale in hospitality venues."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple cross-references to external legislation (Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991, Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016)","Nested definitions with 'same meaning as' clauses requiring lookup in other instruments","Conditional application requiring satisfaction of 5 separate criteria in section 5(1) (immediate consumption, marketed as seafood, within 24 hours, not exempt venue, not already labelled)","Complex definition of 'seafood product' with 4 explicit exclusions (condiments/sauces, shelf-stable minced products, foods containing those ingredients, and medical foods)","Geographic scope definitions requiring understanding of maritime law concepts (territorial sea vs exclusive economic zone)","Alternative compliance pathways in the table at section 5(2) — businesses can use full words OR abbreviations with explanatory context","Record-keeping obligation triggered only after a specific sequence of events (offer to supply + written statement provided)"],"plain_english_summary":"This law makes restaurants, cafés, fish-and-chip shops and other sellers of ready-to-eat seafood disclose its origin — “Australian/A”, “Imported/I” or “Mixed/M” — on menus, display signs or digital ordering systems, keep three months’ provenance records, and share origin info up the supply chain when requested. \n\nIt excludes pre-packaged goods covered by other labels and certain institutions/events. The aim: give consumers clear origin info and level the playing field for Australian seafood producers."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/competition-and-consumer-australian-consumer-law-country-of-origin-information-for-seafood-for-immed","history":"/api/acts/competition-and-consumer-australian-consumer-law-country-of-origin-information-for-seafood-for-immed/history","analysis":"/api/acts/competition-and-consumer-australian-consumer-law-country-of-origin-information-for-seafood-for-immed/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/competition-and-consumer-australian-consumer-law-country-of-origin-information-for-seafood-for-immed/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/competition-and-consumer-australian-consumer-law-country-of-origin-information-for-seafood-for-immed/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/competition-and-consumer-australian-consumer-law-country-of-origin-information-for-seafood-for-immed/documents"}}