Aussies left confused over small detail on food packaging

“How is this allowed?” one commenter said on social media. But, it seems there's a simple explanation.

Supporting local Aussie farmers has become paramount in the shopping habits of many, prioritising goods made locally over those produced overseas where possible.

One shopper was trying to do just that when he spotted a small detail in the packaging of his macadamias which made him do a double take. But, it may be more common than you might think.

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Image: Reddit.

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“How is this allowed?”

A Reddit user has taken to the platform to share something he spotted during his grocery shopping.

“How is this allowed?” they asked in the post.

In the photo was a packet of Woolworths Honey Macadamia nuts, which say ‘Australian Made’ right on the front.

However, on a smaller label, it reads ‘Product of Australia (Sorted in China)’.

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“You learn something new every day”

Many fellow Reddit users were shocked to see the label on the nuts, expressing confusion around why this would be the case, and how the product could be considered ‘Australian Made’ if so.

“So they pick the product here, fly it to China and have it packed. Then fly it back to sell here,” one asked.

“So grown in AUS, shipped to China for sorting and then shipped back to AUS? that's disgraceful,” another commenter said.

“I get that labour costs here in Australia can be high, but high enough to ship products back and forth to China? Well you learn something new every day,” a third said.

It’s more common than you might think

Other commenters, however, were quick to point out that the notion might be more common than you think, with products made all over the world frequently sent elsewhere to be packed or sorted for the sake of keeping prices as low as possible.

“We grow them and it's cheaper to send and package in China and send back to Australia than do all here. Seafood too. You'll be amazed at how [much] food you eat that's grown here and packaged in China.” one said.

“I knew pistachio growers who used to send their non-splits (the pistachios that are ripe, but not slightly open like most pistachios in shell are) to China to get shelled. It was actually cheaper than getting [it] done here, even though it had to be sent there and back!” one said.

In light of this, shoppers were warned to be aware, and read packaging closely to make informed decisions.

“Australian labour costs are very high. Many products requiring intensive labour use these models e.g. Australian peeled prawns are often peeled in places like Thailand and Vietnam and shipped back,” one commenter said.

“The reality is that a lot of people would not buy macadamias if they were ‘sorted’ here simply because they would be too expensive. The products need to be clearly labelled and you can always vote with your wallet and spend your money on products you feel comfortable with.”

Originally published as Aussies left confused over small detail on food packaging