Many businesses - either because they have to or choose to - make claims about where their products come from. Associating a product with a particular country is one way in which your business may try to differentiate your products from those of your competitors.

Any claims you make about your products are subject to 2 overarching rules under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL):

  1. you must not make a false or misleading claim
  2. you must not engage in misleading or deceptive conduct.

In Australia, certain foods offered or suitable for retail sale must carry or display information about where the food was grown, produced, made or packed. If your business is involved in the supply of food products that require labelling under the Country of Origin Food Labelling Information Standard 2016 (Food Labelling Standard), you will need to comply with the Standard as well as the ACL more broadly.

If your business otherwise voluntarily chooses to make a country of origin claim about your non-food goods, you will need to make sure that the claim is not false, misleading or deceptive.