Kilojoule labelling on all ready-to-eat foods

BREAKING: NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has launched a new mandatory kilojoule labelling system which will help consumers keep their weight under control.

Food shopping

WEIGHT-CONSCIOUS shoppers can now check out the kilojoule content of supermarket foods like barbecue chickens, hot deli meals and donuts.

Launching the mandatory labelling on Tuesday, NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell said he hoped providing consumers with more information about what they eat would allow them to make smarter choices.

"I am someone who absolutely recognises that it's personal decisions that will maintain a healthy lifestyle and help you lose weight," he told reporters outside Woolworths at Bondi Junction.

"But you can't make these personal decision unless you are equipped with the information and that's what the next stage of this program is about."

The imitative, part of the government's 8700 kilojoule campaign, means supermarkets must now display signs showing the kilojoule content of ready-to-eat foods.

"This is not just about young people, it's about parents buying foods for their families," said Mr O'Farrell, who famously dropped 50kg a few years ago.

Olympic swimmer Geoff Huegill, also no stranger to extreme weight loss, said it was about "industry initiating change".