Words companies use to trick you

How do you know when something 'organic' is actually organic? Source: ThinkStock

SO, 'fresh baked' bread isn't always freshly baked.

Coles got a right old slap in Federal Court yesterday when it was found guilty of misleading consumers with claims of 'fresh baked' when in fact the products were partially baked overseas months in advance, and only finished off in-store. Apart from the PR kerfuffle, Coles will also be out $3 million in fines and court costs.

But the whole saga is a reminder that what you read or see isn't always the whole truth. There are many products, particularly food, which make all kind of claims that doesn't necessarily stand up under scrutiny.

Determined Consumer founder and former Choice boss Christopher Zinn told news.com.au there is a lot of confusion around food labelling. Zinn said: "There are a lot of claims [brands] make and some of those are in the grey area and some of it is illegal and in breach of the law. These 'credence' claims - often consumers can't tell the difference and they can't test the claims."

Coles bread: 'Fresh' isn't always fresh. Source: News Limited

Mr Zinn said the issue here is those doing the wrong thing undercuts those who are doing the right thing. For example, on the Coles bread issue, bakeries which really are baking their fresh bread every day might get pushed out of the market by substandard products and lower pricing, leading to less choice for consumers in the long run.

Here are some words that brand love to put on their packaging that don't always mean what you think.

AUSTRALIAN-MADE

The term 'Australian made' or 'made in Australia' is possibly the most loaded of them all. 'Australian made' doesn't necessarily mean it's an Australian product. Under consumer law, 'Australian made' means the product was made here and that at least 50 per cent of the cost to produce it was incurred in Australia. Yeah, that's a little confusing.

Essentially, it means the product had to have been manufactured here (not just packaged) but the raw materials don't have to have originated in Australia. One of the most glaring examples where you're probably not getting what you expect is bacon. 'Australian made' bacon can actually be from imported pigs but it still qualifies as 'Australian made' as long as the pig was carved up and smoked in Australia. The Australian pork industry body estimated 70 per cent of bacon and ham sold in Australia originated from imported pigs.

Your Australian-made bacon may not have any Australian pork in it. Source: ThinkStock

It's called the 'substantial transformation' test which gives producers permission to slap 'Australian' on their products if the nature of the item has been changed locally. Another example of this is fruit cups with imported fruit but was diced and placed in syrup in Australia, or pre-made apple pies with imported apples.

Anyone who's looking for Australian products that are Australian produced from the raw materials to the manufacturing process should look for 'product of Australia' when shopping.

Separately, the 'Australian Made' campaign (the green triangle) has stricter definitions for its certification.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

The olive oil market is fraught with dodgy labelling. Actual 'extra virgin' olive oil means the oil has been squeezed from the fruit whereas all other oils (sunflower, canola etc) are chemically extracted from the seed.

The majority of the olive oil market is made up of imported products, most of which don't meet Australian 'extra virgin' standards. Source: ThinkStock

However, Australian Olive Association chief executive Lisa Rowntree told news.com.au, the market is flooded with imported products that are labelled 'extra virgin olive oil' but actually aren't due to lax standards in other countries. Ms Rowntree said 82 per cent of imported products (which makes up 60 per cent of supermarket sales) don't meet the Australian standard for extra virgin olive oil.

The Australian standard is currently a voluntary code and the industry association would like to see it become law to give the ACCC more power to haul infringers over the coals.

One of the things consumers should especially be on the alert for is 'pure olive oil', which, according to Ms Rowntree, is anything but. She said: "Pure olive oil, light olive oil and extra light olive oil means absolutely nothing except that it is a fancy word for refined and deodorised oil".

Look for certified extra virgin olive oil. Source: Supplied

Last year, the ACCC fined MOI International $20,000 for selling a product labelled "Extra virgin olive oil" and "100% olive oil" that was actually 93 per cent canola oil. In that instance, the canola oil make-up was listed in the ingredients panel on the side, so it was easy to prosecute.

To make sure you're actually getting extra virgin olive oil, look for the 'Australian extra virgin certified' label.

ORGANIC

Technically, organic products have checkpoints all along the production chain to ensure they are sustainable, ethical, environmentally friendly and weren't genetically modified or burdened with pesticides, herbicides, hormones and antibiotics. To get an organic certification from Australian Organics, businesses have to undergo vigorous auditing over three years. For peace of mind on whether something is organic, look for the organic certification symbol.

Look for the Australian Certified Organic stamp. Source: Supplied

Because often the cost of production is higher, organic products can be more expensive so don't be fooled into paying more for something that is labelled organic when it's not. Unfortunately, the practice is too common in Australia, particularly within the cosmetic and beauty industry. If you think something isn't what it claims to be, you can report it to the ACCC which may be able to charge that company with misleading the public.

But sometimes, people really do just use the word 'organic' as a marketing tool. Last year, a number of bottled water brands were forced to change their name because it had the word 'organic' in it. You know, as opposed to all that non-organic water.

HORMONE-FREE

If a chicken producer tries to differentiate its product by telling you its product is hormone-free, feel free to scoff. It's only a marketing trick. All chicken in Australia has been hormone-free since the 1960s.

Actually, all Australian chicken is hormone-free. Source: Supplied

However, in beef, it's a different story. A few years ago, Coles raised the ire of the beef industry by introducing a line of no added hormones beef. Meat & Livestock Australia accused Coles of potentially frightening consumers into thinking beef with hormones was unsafe. The industry body said years of scientific research showed growth-promoting hormones had no health risks.

FREE RANGE

Currently, it's a hodge podge puzzle of what actually constitutes free range eggs with voluntary industry codes. It could be 1500 birds per hectare or it could be 20,000 birds per hectare. Essentially, there's not a lot of transparency or clarity on the issue.

The states have agreed to work on a nationally enforceable free range standard. Source: ThinkStock

Happily, state consumer affairs and trading ministers have agreed to come together to develop a national standard. NSW Fair Trading is leading the issue and is expected to report back early next year. We wait with bated breath.

Comment below: What other labels or brand jargons confuse you? Let us know below.

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