The United Kingdom’s intention to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) would greatly benefit food trade for APAC countries – but many hurdles lie ahead, according to expert analysis.
The Australian juice industry will need to play up the health benefits of consumption and its role in meeting current local dietary guidelines both on-pack and off, if it hopes to recover from the blow of its five health star rating loss.
Researchers in Thailand have called for the government to pursue more aggressive public health policies in addition to imposing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes in the country after an advanced simulation model revealed that this would have little...
Japan has banned the use of the terms ‘artificial’ and ‘synthetic’ to describe food additives on all food and beverage labels after consumer research found they were causing consumers to shun such products.
India has emerged as the top supporter of stronger alcohol policy implementation in a new study, where researchers also criticised labelling changes in Australia and New Zealand and called for stronger, more effective measures to be put in place.
The Australian government has released a range of sodium reformulation targets to be implemented on a voluntary basis by the local F&B industry over the next four years, but public health researchers believe that this should be made mandatory.
Sugar taxation has remained the most effective for of food taxation when it comes to reducing diet-related diseases as compared to taxes on salt, saturated fat and junk food, according to a recent New Zealand study.
The Chinese authorities has opened a public consultation to consider the use of milk minerals and a particular bacteria species as novel food raw materials.
India has moved to implement strict 0% ABV regulations for alcohol-free beer in the country as part of the country’s alcoholic beverages revision, while Thailand is mulling tax raises for the category - spelling tough times ahead for zero-alcohol beers...
The Philippines’ controversial new tax reform bill aims to help smaller local food and beverage pay lower taxes and stop larger firms from exploring existing system loopholes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak…but experts are warning implementation...
Asian countries that have implemented food export restrictions to protect local supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic will harm their commodity prices and damage their trade reputations, according to an expert from the Food and Agricultural Organisation...
India’s newest food tax saga stemming from Southern flatbreads being taxed higher than Northern ones has placed renewed focus on the country’s controversial GST system, provoking claims of ‘cultural racism’ from campaigners.
Australia’s implementation of the revised Health Star Ratings (HSR) system is on track with a focus on sugar and sodium reduction via a new nutrient calculator, as well as plans for 70% of industry uptake, the Australian Department of Health has confirmed.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an extension of free food ration distributions for the nation’s poor till November, but recent government data has also revealed that distributions till date have been ineffective in several major states.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) recently announced that it would be making industry-friendly changes to the text requirements for pregnancy warning labels on alcoholic beverages – but its insistence to mandate coloured labels has left industry...
China recently announced new standards for dairy permeate imports, a first for the country and a prime example of how an industry can leverage resources to overcome regulatory challenges, according to a China trade regulations expert.
China’s COVID-19 focus has taken a clear food-related shift with a decided focus on stepping up food import regulations, despite this putting it at odds with foreign food firms and governments arguing against the probability of food-related virus spread.
Taiwan’s organic equivalence agreements policy means it risks losing over half of its organic imports, particularly those from its biggest trade partner EU, but despite this has shown no signs of shifting its stance.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has announced that it will be retaining just one of three major quality parameters used to test honey pureness authenticity that were previously removed, whilst also putting the onus on syrup importers...
The recently-ratified EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has seen major gains in food trade for both sides, particularly in rice and seafood for Vietnam as well as alcohol and meat for the EU.
Many big food and beverage companies in Malaysia have made commitments to improve product and population nutrition, but researchers have found these to be ‘weak’, ‘non-specific’ and lacking in comprehensiveness.
China should accelerate the development of its local cell-based meat sector to catch up with other countries that have a head start in this area, with a major focus placed on technology, regulations and innovation.
China’s ‘milk bars’ have been issued with new guidelines that place them under stricter regulatory control, with a stronger focus on maintaining the freshness and safety of products as dairy consumption in the country grows.
Malaysia is considering a potential reviews of regulations governing alcohol sales and/or production following a rash of drunk driving accidents in the country, marking yet another hurdle for an industry trying to find its feet due to COVID-19.
The Philippines is considering implementing higher sugar taxes as well as new taxes on ‘junk food’ high in sodium and trans fat to offset the costs incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak this year.
The local food industry in India has welcomed the government’s plans to reorganise the local food production sector using a cluster-based approach, believing that this will help to reduce food waste and drive long-term growth.
The Australian alcoholic beverages industry has highlighted ‘glaringly obvious’ flaws and anomalies in the government’s recent review of minimum unit pricing, claiming that the results are erroneous and calling for an inquiry.
Tensions between Australia and China have recently been running high over barley tariffs and beef bans, but this nothing new nor solely due to ‘punishing behaviour’ over COVID-19, according to several trade consulting experts.
South Korea has moved to temporarily relax regulatory measures for food imports in view of the global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, particularly concentrating on documentation and labelling requirements to prevent delays in custom clearance.
Disputes over Indonesia’s controversial omnibus law have taken a food-related turn, with various stakeholders now clashing over whether this will cause imported foods to be favoured over local supply, as well as the potentially negative impacts this will...
Cambodia is looking to reform its local organic food products market by putting new standards and procedures into legislation, as well as presenting a new unified logo for all certified organic fruits, vegetables and other agricultural items.
First it was beef, now it’s barley, with China seemingly staying true to its word to deal a series of trade blows to Australia in retaliation for its calls for a wide-ranging global inquiry into the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The F&B industry in Malaysia has called for food businesses in all states nationwide to ‘concurrently resume’ as per the government’s recent loosening of COVID-19 related lockdown restrictions, but has hit a snag with seven of the nation’s 14 states...
Thailand's retraction of a nationwide blanket ban on alcohol sales, which led to panic-buying and fears of a fresh wave of COVID-19 infections, has been defended by industry leaders who claim alcohol and social gatherings don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand.
Australia and New Zealand are still actively seeking to widen the range of genetically modified (GM) foods accepted in the region despite related amendments to the food code being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
South Korea has made Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification mandatory for all foreign food facilities exporting into the country, in an effort to tighten its control over imported food safety hazards.
Country leaders of all the member states comprising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reaffirmed commitments to ensure food security and smooth regional food trade in the recent ASEAN Special Summit on COVID-19.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has revamped the national food code system for all imported foods into the nation in an attempt to achieve more uniformity with the internationally used HS Code system.
Japan has temporarily relaxed its traditionally strict food labelling regulations to help accommodate food manufacturing firms that need to make adjustments to production processes or raw materials in their production chains as a result of the COVID-19...
The flour industry in Pakistan has requested the government to exempt or at least subsidise all flour mills from taxes that would normally have to be paid in light of the sector’s significant contributions to food stability throughout the COVID-19 pandemic...
An analysis of the diets of nearly 3500 Australian women found high consumption of carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, cabbage, green beans and potatoes before conception helped women reach full term pregnancy.
New Zealand researchers have called for a complete overhaul of the country’s current national agricultural strategy, which is heavily skewed towards dairy and meat, to accommodate a more plant-focused approach.
Pakistan has enforced an import tax on sugar entering the country, adding another layer of complexity to the country’s ongoing war between sugar cane farmers and sugar mills.
The Chinese government has been pushing for a ‘return to normalcy’ for what it deems ‘low-risk’ COVID-19-affected areas within the country, but faces multiple challenges in the form of public anxiety over food security and relaxed control measures.
India recently announced import tariff increases for many food and agricultural products in hopes of encouraging local trade, but the same move is likely to push it even further away from the possibility of entering free trade agreements within the APAC...
Singapore’s introduction of its new sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) labelling system Nutri-Grade has received a lukewarm response from consumers, with 68% of public sentiment remaining ‘neutral’ or ‘unsure’ about the policy.