The food and grocery manufacturing sector pays wages and salaries of $13.56 billion.
The industry’s workforce accounts for about 3 per cent of the population.
The food and grocery manufacturing industry consists of 30,104 businesses.
The industry provides around 24 million nutritious, affordable meals to Australians every day.
312,000 Australians are employed in the food, beverage and manufacturing industries, including half in rural and regional areas.
Australia’s $108 billion food and grocery manufacturing industry is the nation’s largest manufacturing sector.
Industry spends on average 0.5 per cent of turn-over on R&D – about $368 million a year.

Media Centre

Food Dialogue savours salt reduction success

Monday, 22 November 2010 16:21

More than three quarters of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals in Australia have sodium levels below the target set by an industry, retailer and government partnership called the Food and Health Dialogue.

This important achievement – applauded by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) today (November 22) – was outlined in the latest Communiqué by Parliamentary Secretary for Health Catherine King, showing 77 per cent of the ready-to-eat cereals market is now below Dialogue targets.

The Dialogue – which involves leading food manufacturers working to improve the diets and health of Australians – agreed that for cereals exceeding 400 milligrams of sodium per 100 grams, Kellogg’s, Sanitarium, Cereal Partners Worldwide, Woolworths, Coles and Aldi will reduce the sodium content of an additional 20 products by 15 per cent by the end of 2013.

Companies have also committed to reducing sodium in more than 100 bread products by the end of 2013, which the Communiqué said offered “large public health benefits for the Australian population”.

AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell said the majority of leading food and grocery manufacturers have made strong inroads in salt reduction across a wide range of areas.

“Australia’s $102 billion food and grocery manufacturing industry has been involved in salt reduction strategies for a number of years,” Ms Carnell said. “Industry is proactively working with Government to target areas where salt can be further reduced including processed meats and simmer sauces.”

Processed meats and sauces are the next category to be targeted for salt reduction followed by poultry products and soups, with industry collaboration to begin next year.

“Industry is committed to providing healthier choices for families and consumers. An important way this can be achieved is through food reformulation which includes reducing salt, fat and increasing fibre in foods,” Ms Carnell said.

For more Dialogue information, visit: www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/food-health-dialogue

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More information: Brad Watts AFGC Media Manager (02) 6270 9021 or 0437 379 818.

Download a PDF of this Media Release here:

Food Dialogue savours salt reduction success