Do I need to label homemade food sold at markets?

Yes — if you are selling packaged food at markets, fairs, or community events in NSW, you are generally required to comply with the food labelling requirements in Chapter 1 of the Food Standards Code. The specific requirements depend on whether your food is "packaged" or sold loose/unpackaged.

Packaged food labelling requirements

Under Standard 1.2.1, packaged food sold at retail must include:

The name or description of the food
A list of ingredients (in descending order by weight)
Mandatory allergen declarations
Net quantity (e.g. 250g, 1L)
Name and address of the supplier or manufacturer
Country of origin (for most foods)
Date marking (use-by or best-before date)
Storage instructions (if relevant)
Directions for use (if relevant)

Exemptions for small producers

There are limited exemptions for small-scale producers selling directly to consumers at the point of production (e.g. farm gate sales). However, these exemptions are narrow and do not apply to most market stalls. When in doubt, assume full labelling requirements apply.

Food business notification

If you regularly sell food at markets, you are operating a food business and must notify your local council under the Food Act 2003 (NSW). Failure to notify can result in fines. AMES Food Advisory can help new market vendors establish compliant labelling and registration from the start.