The AFGC is committed to providing up-to-date and accurate information to the media on behalf of the food and grocery manufacturing industry.

Metcash and 7-Eleven join industry-led soft plastics recycling scheme

March 1, 2024

March 1 – The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) applauds both Metcash and 7-Eleven for joining the industry’s collaborative effort to recycle soft plastics, making them the first retailers to support the initiative. The industry-led National Plastics Recycling Scheme (NPRS), unprecedented in its scope and scale, aims […]

Industry welcomes a focus on food security outlined in recommendations of new report

December 8, 2023

The peak body for Australia’s food and grocery manufacturing industry has welcomed the report presented by the House Agriculture Committee ‘Australian Food Story: Feeding the Nation and Beyond’. “At a time when cost of living and inflation are running high, any focus on the food supply chain and […]

Food manufacturers welcome announcement on a collaborative, national approach to packaging regulation

November 13, 2023

The peak body for Australia’s food and grocery manufacturing industry has welcomed today’s announcement from Environment Ministers around design standards for packaging and a focus on traceability. Today’s announcement is fundamental for a closed loop on packaging, particularly soft plastics in Australia. Importantly, the fact we are talking […]

Food and grocery manufacturers welcome review of essential industry code

October 4, 2023

The peak body for Australia’s largest manufacturing sector has welcomed the announcement from Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, and Assistant Minister for Employment, Dr Andrew Leigh, of the second review of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct (the Code).   “Since its inception in 2015, the […]

Lessons of COVID will help guard supply chains as bushfire season looms: AFGC

September 28, 2023

Vital food and grocery supply chains will be better protected this bushfire season by manufacturers, transport providers, retailers and governments drawing on the experience of recent floods, bushfires and the COVID pandemic to plan for disruptions, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) says. AFGC CEO Tanya Barden […]

Food & grocery manufacturing’s long COVID: jobs, investment remain challenged during pandemic recovery

August 22, 2023

Australia’s food and grocery manufacturers are feeling the effects of years of pandemic and supply chain disruptions with new analysis showing a drop in food product investment and a dip in job numbers. The latest AFGC State of Industry (SOI) data shows the food and grocery manufacturing industry […]

AFGC welcomes support for new Australian recycling capabilities

July 19, 2023

The Australian Food and Grocery Council welcomes the federal government funding to increase Australia’s recycling capabilities as important progress in developing a circular economy for packaging materials.  AFGC CEO Tanya Barden said $60 million in funding for hard-to-recycle plastics, including soft plastics, and consultation on a national framework […]

Food and grocery manufacturers welcome collective effort towards a circular economy

June 19, 2023

Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) CEO Tanya Barden has welcomed decisions by the nation’s environment ministers that support the food and grocery manufacturing sector’s efforts to reduce plastic packaging waste, including the development of the National Plastics Recycling Scheme (NPRS).  “Food and beverage manufacturers have long supported […]

How packaging is cutting food waste and environmental impact

New series showcases Australia’s innovative food and grocery manufacturing industry   The environmental impact of food waste and the role of packaging in reducing that impact is just one of the informative and inspiring stories in the new season of Sustaining Australia TV, the online news series dedicated to […]

Budget delivers on responsible management and cost of living relief, says AFGC

May 10, 2023

Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) CEO Tanya Barden says the 2023 Federal Budget will help Australians facing soaring living costs and provides important support for small businesses in the transition to a clean energy future with the $310m Small Business Energy Incentive.  “We congratulate the government on […]