The Government has announced a significant review of New Zealand’s product labelling requirements. The review has the potential to reshape the current regulatory environment – with a stated focus to simplify compliance for businesses and continuing to follow high consumer protection standards.

Current regulatory approach

There are several product labelling requirements in New Zealand – currently 30 separate codes, standards and regulations that vary product by product. For example:

• cosmetic and personal product labels must include all ingredients used in the products (with any allergens or hazardous substances being clearly highlighted);

• some classes of therapeutic products, labels must include at least the active and inactive ingredients, storage instructions and any warning or advisory statements;

• new clothes must include written care instructions (such as, washing, drying and ironing information) and fibre content details; and

• some goods, such as children’s nightwear and toys, must comply with strict labelling regulations that are aimed at preventing and reducing the chance of accident or injury when using those goods.

Potential changes

The Government has expressed concern that New Zealand’s current labelling regime is too complex. The legislative framework associated with some codes means they do not always reflect current international practice. The review will consider how New Zealand’s labelling regime can more consistently reflect good international practice and harmonise with New Zealand’s trading partners.

While there is similarity in relation to some goods, there is some growing divergence. For example, New Zealand and Australia’s clothing care labelling requirements used to be largely the same. However, recent regulatory changes in Australia mean that suppliers and manufacturers of new clothing products there must always include care symbols on labels (and written instructions are optional). New Zealand takes the reverse position – new clothing labels must always include written instructions (and use of care symbols is optional). This subtle difference means that suppliers and manufacturers are required to have different labels on new clothing products when exporting into New Zealand. This could have the effect of increasing the cost of the goods as businesses pass on the regulatory compliance costs to consumers.

There is also interest in whether new labelling methods can be adopted. Rather than relying on physical labels, other countries are increasingly moving towards digitally enabled solutions (such as the use of QR codes on products). This allows labels and use instructions to be more easily tailored to different markets and updated as needed. Use of QR codes in New Zealand would be an interesting and positive development, but any implementation would need to ensure it protects the right of all consumers (even the less technologically aware) to clearly know what is in the product they are purchasing and using.

Next steps

The Government is currently working with business and consumer groups to identify common issues and shape the review’s terms of reference. The review is expected to be completed by December 2025.

We will continue to keep you updated on any regulatory changes that result from the review.