![The federal government is still working out how to deal with fake meat labels. Picture supplied. The federal government is still working out how to deal with fake meat labels. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/230597393/65e42f6b-45f6-4661-9e0e-6a01c0e46d13.jpg/r0_96_1024_672_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The federal government will commission an independent research study to discover whether consumers are duped by the word meat on vegan products on supermarket shelves.
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According to federal budget papers, $1.5 million will be used over two years to work with industry and regulatory agencies to improve existing arrangements for the labelling of plant-based and alternative protein products.
"It is important that appropriate regulatory settings are in place to enable consumers to make informed choices when purchasing products," the papers said.
"These arrangements should be evidence based, proportionate to the risk and complement the current regulatory system."
The two-year timeframe for the research project will mean its findings will likely not be provided to the government before the next election.
Cattle Australia chief executive Chris Parker welcomed the funding announced in the May 14 budget "as this is something we have been asking of government."
"It would, however, be our preference the full assigned amount was used to improve labelling, but recognise some research may be required to better inform this work," Dr Parker said.
The government promised during the 2022 election campaign to resolve the contentious issue by delivering "accurate and clear food labelling so that consumers have informed choice".
On one hand, traditional meat industries around the world claim alternative food makers are hijacking their good name to deliberately confuse consumers and make sales.
On the other hand, plant-based food manufacturers argue that this is not the case.
It is believed Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Murray Watt asked Treasurer Jim Chalmers to place some cash on the table to settle the situation by obtaining clear scientific advice in how plant-based labelling impacts opinion and what exactly is the general consumer understanding of vegan labelling.
It is not the first delay in finalising what is clearly a prickly policy problem for the government.
The ordering of new research follows a 2022 Senate inquiry that recommended the government outlaw plant-based mimics of meat, such as "beef" and "chicken", and pushed for regulatory changes to make the rules around food labels compulsory.
In September last year and after eight months of collecting hundreds of submissions and many public hearings, officials from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Department called for fresh submissions from both the plant-based and meat industries.
A departmental document seen by ACM-Agri at the time said: "... this is a complex issue with diverse views, the department is seeking industries' views on how plant-based protein products are labelled and the impact on the industry, and the specific elements of product labelling of highest priority to the industry".
It then asked industry groups to outline their priorities on the present labelling of plant-based products and whether their priorities had changed since the Senate inquiry's report was tabled the previous year.
DAFF also wanted to know whether they had any fresh information since the inquiry concluded, such as "any new research on consumer misinformation, any evidence of false or misleading conduct, any changes in industry practices?"