Research exposes 'huge gap' in Coles, Woolies online grocery labelling
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When you think about food safety and labels, what usually comes to mind is the precautions we take when shopping for groceries in-store.
Shoppers carefully check expiration dates, nutritional labels, ingredient lists, and allergen warnings before deciding whether an item is worth buying.
However, with e-commerce becoming increasingly popular, these traditional practices are slowly becoming obsolete.
As it turns out, many are becoming more reliant on online shopping platforms, as it saves a lot of time and money—especially with peak fuel prices right now!
A new research paper, published in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity and led by a UNSW Sydney researcher, put the spotlight onto the two major grocery giants here in the country—Coles and Woolworths—and asked the question: How thorough are they in providing information about the products in their online store?
After analysing more than 22,000 products listed by both Coles and Woolworths in 2022, the findings were mixed: product information is being inconsistently displayed, and many item listings lacked complete details—such as nutrition information panels and allergen information—leaving customers in the dark as to the actual content of their potential purchase.
The study found that around 34 per cent of products examined had a full ingredient list, while only 14 per cent of products featured a Health Star Rating.
Furthermore, only 53 per cent had allergen labels, and only 49 per cent had nutrition information available on the website.
Study lead author Damian Maganja said that online shopping differs from shopping in-store which makes it easier for shoppers to pick up the product and review key information.
'It’s not surprising to see a huge gap in how the major supermarkets provide product information in their online grocery stores, which might not be deliberate or malicious but does fail to help people with choosing products that meet dietary or health needs,' Mr Maganja said.
In response, both supermarket giants said they are committed to ensuring relevant product information is available on their websites.
A spokesperson from Woolworths pointed out that the data in the research was collected a year ago, hence, 'it won’t have captured the additional improvements we’ve continued to make to online product information across our range'.
Woolworths has also set up filters for allergens and dietary restrictions so that customers can make informed decisions when shopping for groceries online.
Another limitation that the study had, according to the spokesperson, was that it excluded information found on product images on their website.
On the other hand, a spokesperson from Coles claimed that they are committed to including relevant information on their products online.
'Our team works closely with our suppliers to build on this information. Nevertheless, we encourage customers to always read the label on the product,' the spokesperson said.
'We welcome ongoing feedback from our customers to help us provide the best information.'
Coles also reportedly has filters that allows shoppers to screen items for certain allergens and dietary restrictions they might have.
The Food Standards Code in Australia and New Zealand is mainly focused on the labels of packaged food and requires food suppliers to provide pertinent information about their products.
While Food Standards Australia and New Zealand is responsible for developing standards and regulatory measures for food, they do not currently have any investigation underway to update the Food Standards Code and make it applicable to online retail.
Members, have you experienced struggling with the lack of product information when buying your grocery items online? Share your experience with us in the comments below!
Shoppers carefully check expiration dates, nutritional labels, ingredient lists, and allergen warnings before deciding whether an item is worth buying.
However, with e-commerce becoming increasingly popular, these traditional practices are slowly becoming obsolete.
As it turns out, many are becoming more reliant on online shopping platforms, as it saves a lot of time and money—especially with peak fuel prices right now!
A new research paper, published in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity and led by a UNSW Sydney researcher, put the spotlight onto the two major grocery giants here in the country—Coles and Woolworths—and asked the question: How thorough are they in providing information about the products in their online store?
A researcher from UNSW Sydney discovered that two supermarket giants only provided a full ingredient list for 34 per cent of the products sold on their website. Image source: Freepik.
After analysing more than 22,000 products listed by both Coles and Woolworths in 2022, the findings were mixed: product information is being inconsistently displayed, and many item listings lacked complete details—such as nutrition information panels and allergen information—leaving customers in the dark as to the actual content of their potential purchase.
The study found that around 34 per cent of products examined had a full ingredient list, while only 14 per cent of products featured a Health Star Rating.
Furthermore, only 53 per cent had allergen labels, and only 49 per cent had nutrition information available on the website.
Study lead author Damian Maganja said that online shopping differs from shopping in-store which makes it easier for shoppers to pick up the product and review key information.
'It’s not surprising to see a huge gap in how the major supermarkets provide product information in their online grocery stores, which might not be deliberate or malicious but does fail to help people with choosing products that meet dietary or health needs,' Mr Maganja said.
In response, both supermarket giants said they are committed to ensuring relevant product information is available on their websites.
A spokesperson from Woolworths pointed out that the data in the research was collected a year ago, hence, 'it won’t have captured the additional improvements we’ve continued to make to online product information across our range'.
Woolworths has also set up filters for allergens and dietary restrictions so that customers can make informed decisions when shopping for groceries online.
Another limitation that the study had, according to the spokesperson, was that it excluded information found on product images on their website.
On the other hand, a spokesperson from Coles claimed that they are committed to including relevant information on their products online.
'Our team works closely with our suppliers to build on this information. Nevertheless, we encourage customers to always read the label on the product,' the spokesperson said.
'We welcome ongoing feedback from our customers to help us provide the best information.'
Coles also reportedly has filters that allows shoppers to screen items for certain allergens and dietary restrictions they might have.
The Food Standards Code in Australia and New Zealand is mainly focused on the labels of packaged food and requires food suppliers to provide pertinent information about their products.
While Food Standards Australia and New Zealand is responsible for developing standards and regulatory measures for food, they do not currently have any investigation underway to update the Food Standards Code and make it applicable to online retail.
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