Things are not always what they seem at New Zealand supermarkets

Assume nothing. Even then you're likely to be duped.

Roam the supermarket aisles looking for fresh Kiwi fruit and vegetables and they'll probably be easy enough to identify. The sign on the eggplants clearly says they're from Australia. The snow peas are imported from the United States.

But head to the packaged foods and you'll find imported products hiding behind the cloaks of great Kiwi brands. And a world of confusion about where what you're eating is made and from what.

Kevin Stent Tendertips grower Geoff Lewis exports asparagus to Japan with country of origin labelling and does not understand why the same rules don't apply in New Zealand.

Take Wattie's, that iconic New Zealand producer since 1934, whose marketing talks up "our proud NZ growers", "family farms" and "generations of passionate growers".

Those warm fuzzy promos might well be true of its cans of Hawke's Bay-grown peaches or Canterbury-grown minted peas. But what of its apricot halves and asparagus? To the quick glance of a harried parent with toddler in tow, those "pick of the crop" labels look indistinguishable from their home-grown cousins. It's only on closer inspection that you see they're missing the "NZ grown" tag on the front.

Turn the can over and you'll discover that the apricots are made in South Africa. Not grown in South Africa and processed in New Zealand – grown and canned in South Africa, slapped with Wattie's labels, then exported here to be sold as a great Kiwi brand.

The same goes for the asparagus. Heinz Wattie's announced in March that it would no longer can New Zealand asparagus. Instead, it now puts Wattie's labels on cans from Peru.

You might suspect Wattie's mango slices would be imported, given New Zealand does not grow mangoes. But how come they are almost twice the price of the Pams version two cans down, when both are made in Thailand?

At least Wattie's does declare where the produce actually comes from. New Zealand's weak labelling laws mean that, unlike most of our trading partners, we don't require manufacturers to state a food's country of origin. That's despite a 2011 survey finding that 42 per cent of Kiwi consumers want to know where their food comes from and more than half want more information on labels.

There can be few better examples of confusing claims than bacon. New Zealand now imports 52 per cent of the pork we eat, up from 41 per cent in 2008. So it stands to reason that much of the honey-cured, manuka-smoked goodness sizzling in Kiwi frying pans on a Saturday morning must contain imported pork.

But would you expect that to include a brand screaming "NZ's Butcher"? Check the label of Hellers traditional middle bacon and you'd be none the wiser – "Made in NZ from imported and local ingredients" the packet says. But check their website and you'll see that no Hellers-branded traditional bacon contains any New Zealand pork at all.

Drill down further into each product's stated countries of origin and the picture becomes still more muddy. The company clarifies that if New Zealand is listed as a supply country, the product might contain New Zealand meat. But then again, it might not, depending on the supply chain at any given time.

Having abandoned the bacon brunch idea in favour of berry pancakes, head down to the frozen berries section.

Sujon berries sport the best and worst of labelling information. Its packaging calls out to those wanting to buy New Zealand made, whether it's to support a local industry or to know more about the conditions under which their food is grown. "Sujon Family Estate", "Nelson" and "New Zealand" stack the front of the raspberry packet. But flip the pack over and read the fine print – those raspberries actually come from Chile, where they're snap frozen and sent to Nelson for packing.

But the packaging also shows the best of what is possible, countering the common argument that mandatory country of origin labelling would be too costly as you'd have to change labels every time the supply chain changed. By stamping the country of origin batch by batch, like a best before date, Sujon can cheaply keep consumers informed even if the source changes according to the season or peaks and troughs in supply.

LOOKING COOL

New Zealand last investigated introducing mandatory country of origin labelling (COOL) in 2005, when a joint standard was proposed by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand broke ranks, rejecting the rules, while Australia elected to enforce origin labelling.

New Zealand officials decided COOL would be too costly and complicated given New Zealand manufacturers often used imported ingredients as well as local produce. They also said it was not a food safety issue as imports already have to meet stringent food safety criteria.

Despite the fact that most of our major trading partners require country of origin labelling, the New Zealand government worried it would be seen as protectionism and could affect access to overseas markets for Kiwi exporters.

But food producers were split – the dairy and meat industries fiercely opposed mandatory labelling, while pork farmers and fruit and vege growers supported it, as it would better allow them to compete.

New Zealand Pork chairman Ian Carter remains a firm advocate of clear origin labels.

In his 26 years' farming pigs, he has seen the pork industry decline as it's been overtaken by cheap imports. More than half of all the pork eaten in New Zealand now comes from overseas. And he knows that at least some of that imported pork is being bought by rushed and confused consumers grabbing ham or bacon off supermarket shelves thinking they're buying New Zealand meat.

"It says on the back 'Produced from local and imported products'. What does that really tell you? Not a lot."

He's realistic enough to know that, despite their nationalistic declarations in surveys, most Kiwi shoppers buy on price. But even if they're conscientious consumers prepared to pay a bit more to know how their pork is farmed or to support a local industry, they're not being given enough information to make that choice.

New Zealand, for example, will outlaw sow stalls from the end of the year but they remain legal in North America, where much imported pork comes from.

Hawke's Bay apple and pear grower Ross Derbidge also supports country of origin labelling.

"Because so many people get fooled – even me. I was buying Budget peaches, they turned out to be from China. I just think people should have the choice, at least knowing what they are buying.

"In New Zealand we have very strict rules regulating quality and what sprays are put on et cetera. Who knows what is happening to that other fruit."

Derbidge used to sell apples to Heinz Wattie's for canning. Despite New Zealand being a significant apple grower and exporter, Wattie's sliced apples are now "Made in South Africa".

Heinz Wattie's also axed its New Zealand canned asparagus earlier this year, affecting at least 15 growers. But that's just the direct suppliers.

Levin grower Geoff Lewis, another COOL advocate, did not supply asparagus for canning but argues he will still suffer, because those growers will now compete with him on the fresh asparagus market.

Lewis also exports his tendertips to Japan, complete with the required label "product of New Zealand", which was not particularly difficult or costly to add.

"I believe it's a political decision, that the government does not want to upset trading partners. But in many cases those other countries have got country of origin labelling anyway. I just don't get it, personally."

Australian vegetable growers have claimed that New Zealand is being used as a back door to get imported product into Australia, because of its lax labelling rules. They allege that China exports fresh food to New Zealand, adding local seasoning then packaging and exporting it to Australia as "Made in New Zealand" or "Made in New Zealand from local and imported product".

Horticulture New Zealand communications manager Leigh Catley says while that might seem an attractive business option, she does not think it is widespread. The Ministry for Primary Industries is also unaware of this happening.

Nonetheless, Horticulture NZ wants to see the New Zealand government replicate the Australian rules at the very least.

However, the Australian system has not been an unqualified success. Reports have found that shoppers remain confused because the rules still allow the woolly claim "Made in Australia from local and imported ingredients".

That might be about to change. In March, Prime Minister Tony Abbott threatened to toughen up the laws after 28 people contracted hepatitis A after eating berries imported from China.

New Zealand's Primary Industries ministry says it has no plans to change its country of origin labelling policy but it is watching developments in Australia.

WHAT WOULD IT COST?

One of the most common arguments opposing clear country of origin labels is cost and logistics.

Several manufacturers spoken to say the proportion and origin of their imported ingredients varies according to price, season and availability. Talleys, which sells only New Zealand produce, gets around that by varying its frozen vegetable mix according to what is in season.

But that's not an option for something like bacon, says Hellers brand manager Brydon Heller.

"To attempt to include all of this information on our product labels would be difficult, particularly as it changes from time to time."

However, Nelson's Sujon berries does just that, batch-printing ingredient origins over the top of standard packaging.

The cost of introducing COOL labelling is often quoted as $60 million, based on a 2005 NZIER cost benefit analysis. However, what NZIER actually found was that it could cost anything from $14 million to $110 million depending how many labels needed changing and to what degree.

Given most major supermarkets have now introduced country of origin labelling on their fresh, single-ingredient, canned and own-brand products, that cost should now be lower. Countdown, which introduced COOL labels on its own-brand foods about five years ago, reports that it was a "straightforward process".

New Zealand Pork's Ian Carter can't put a value on the cost to the New Zealand industry of deceptive labelling, or say at what level of imports New Zealand pig farming might cease to be viable. All he asks is that imported meat is treated the same as New Zealand meat heading offshore.

"A lot of Australian beef comes here and there's no requirement to say it is, whereas when our product goes to Australia there is a requirement. It's just lack of consistency. We are not against free trade, but we'd like to think it was fair trade."

THE RULES

Unlike Australia and most of our trading partners, New Zealand does not require food to be labelled with its country of origin.

If producers and manufacturers choose to say where their food comes from, those claims must be truthful.

Under the Fair Trading Act, country of origin claims must reflect where the food gets its "essential character", ie where the most significant ingredients comes from.

Past breaches include Kiwi and Premier brands being warned for labelling bacon and ham containing imported pork as "Taste of New Zealand" and "country goodness from the heart of the Wairarapa". Juice makers have also been fined for implying that juice containing imported concentrate was freshly squeezed in New Zealand.

Separate regulations require wine labels to state the country of origin of the grapes.

KIWI AS?

Wattie's: Wattie's' "Pick of the crop" line includes Peruvian asparagus and South African apple slices and apricot halves. None are even processed in New Zealand but they do declare the country of origin. Its frozen vege mixes also include imported produce but its origin is not clear. Heinz Wattie's says "ingredients or raw materials may be imported for a range of reasons including lack of availability of processing machinery, lack of sufficient quantities and seasonal issues. Country of origin information is clearly available on each product."

Hellers: Overall, products by Hellers "NZ's Butcher" contain 50/50 New Zealand and imported meat. Its traditional bacon line says "Made in NZ from imported and local ingredients", but contains no New Zealand pork. Brand manager Brydon Heller justifies the statement: "Ingredients includes more than just meat – the pork is imported, other ingredients are locally and internationally sourced." Hellers' website states possible supply countries for each product but proportions vary according to season and availability.

Sujon Berries: Packaging says "Sujon Family Estate", "Nelson" and "New Zealand" but its raspberries and mixed berries often include imported fruit packed in New Zealand. However, each pack is batch-stamped with the origin of each berry type. Sujon marketing manager Michelle Manson says 70 per cent of its fruit is New Zealand grown. The company is working with Plant & Food to try to increase New Zealand's tiny raspberry supply.

Anathoth Farm: Tagged "NZ jams and pickles", Anathoth's products use mostly New Zealand-grown fruit and vegetables but they also source strawberries and raspberries from Chile and quinces from Argentina. That policy is stated on the packaging but it's not clear if any given pottle contains imported fruit.

Barker's of Geraldine: Drinks come in bottles embossed with "New Zealand" but most say "Made in New Zealand from local and imported ingredients". Raspberries for jam can come from Canada, Chile and Europe but that is not stated on the packaging.

Sealord: All hoki comes from New Zealand waters, despite some packaging stating NZ hoki and some not. Tuna is caught in the western Pacific and canned in Thailand – the can says "Made in Thailand, from imported and local ingredients"; tinned salmon comes from Alaska or Canada; hot-smoked salmon is New Zealand salmon despite saying "proudly made in New Zealand from local and imported ingredients".