Millions of consumers in New Zealand and Australia strictly avoid pork for religious and cultural reasons, including Muslims, Jews, and others. For these communities, pork is not a preference - it is a non-negotiable prohibition, comparable in impact to an allergen.

However, current food labelling standards do not require clear disclosure of pork or pork-derived ingredients. Pork may be hidden behind technical or unclear terms such as porcine, gelatine, animal fat, enzymes, or natural casing.

Pork may be disclosed using technical or industry terms (such as porcine or hog casing) that are not clearly understood by many consumers, particularly those with English as a second language.

This places an unfair burden on consumers to interpret ingredient lists and increases the risk of accidental consumption.

We are not asking for pork to be restricted, banned, or removed from the market. We are asking for clear, visible disclosure, so consumers can make informed choices with confidence.

We call on Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to introduce a standardised disclosure approach similar in intent to allergen labelling  such as:

“Contains pork”, or

“Pork-free”, where applicable

Why this benefits everyone

Clear pork disclosure would not only protect consumers who must strictly avoid pork, it would also benefit food manufacturers and retailers.

Many products are already pork-free, yet are routinely avoided by consumers due to uncertainty. Standardised “pork-free” labelling would allow these products to be confidently chosen, expanding market reach, reducing unnecessary avoidance, and rewarding transparent food practices.

Clear pork disclosure would also assist vegetarians and vegans by reducing the risk of hidden animal-derived ingredients in processed foods.

This change would:

Improve consumer protection and informed consent

Support multicultural inclusion

Reduce accidental consumption and associated distress

Increase trust in food labelling

Allow pork-free products to be clearly identified and confidently purchased

Clear pork disclosure is a practical, low-cost, and respectful step toward a food system that serves diverse communities fairly without limiting choice for anyone else.

Pork should be labelled like an allergen — clear, visible, and honest.