Taiwan-Country of origin labelling.

TAIWAN-Taiwan’s retail stores required to label loose food origins

A new food safety law that requires retail stores in Taiwan to label the country of origin of loose food will be enacted on 1 January 2010, according to Taiwan’s Department of Health (The China Post, 27 March). The new law is expected to affect sales of all loose foods in registered stores, including dried fruit, tea, chicken, duck, fish, beef, mushrooms, seeds and the like. All the stores carrying loose foods will be required to display a sign, card, label or sticker next to the product that describes the country of origin of the goods.The law is predicted to have a profound impact on the Taiwanese market, most specifically stores that sell loose agricultural and food products from China, which are often dismissed by consumers in favour of home-grown products. Outlets who fail to abide by the law when it is enacted next year will be subject to a penalty of between NT$30,000 (A$1,277) to NT$150,000 (A$6,387).