Baby formula makers to push integrity at China expo
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E-mail Xinhua, July 15, 2013
All INC members marketed their products in Australia and New Zealand in line with local interpretations of the WHO Code, said Carey.
"Outside of Australia and New Zealand in export markets, all INC members market their infant formula products with an understanding of and adherence to the aim of the WHO Code. In other words, breast is best and formula is not marketed to imply that it is as good as or even better than breast milk," she said.
Chinese consumers could have confidence that INC member companies were adhering to "extremely strict" Australian and New Zealand food safety standards and regulations that ensure product traceability "throughout the supply chain," said Carey.
"INC conducts a background check on the owners and shareholders of member companies to ensure they are the kind of people who will adhere both to INC's values and Food Standards Australia New Zealand's rigorous food safety standards. This helps to ensure the integrity of INC and that all its members are reputable."
Last month, the INC warned that "inexperienced companies" were endangering the reputation of New Zealand infant formula in China as media reports highlighted their "lack of basic supply chain integrity."
The New Zealand industry needed a united approach to prevent " short-term opportunism" and marketing that exploited the fears of parents for commercial gain, it warned.
The INC claims the products of its members, who include global food giants such as Bayer, HJ Heinz, Nestle, Nutricia and Fonterra, represent more than 95 percent of the volume of infant formula sold in Australia and New Zealand, including all major supermarket brands.
In June, New Zealand Food Safety Minister Nikki Kaye said she had asked the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to undertake an audit to identify any areas for improvement, including verification, compliance and testing regimes.
She had also ordered a check that New Zealand's Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMARs) were in line with changes being introduced in China's regulations for infant formula.
The MPI also introduced a brand register for infant formula manufactured in New Zealand to ensure the integrity of New Zealand branded products in China, but there were possibly other improvements that could be made, she said.
The MPI was also asked to investigate mechanisms to better collaborate and communicate with markets in Asia, particularly China, in areas such as science and labeling.
New Zealand's infant formula exports are estimated at about 600 million NZ dollars (467.98 million U.S. dollars) a year, with approximately 170 million NZ dollars of that going to China.
Cans of imported formula reportedly fetch up to 70 NZ dollars each in China and more than 200 brands are estimated to be produced in New Zealand, but most of them are produced at contract manufacturing plants.
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