Food safety shouldn’t depend on Wi-Fi or trusting a QR code – NoMoreGlyphosate.nz

NoMoreGlyphosate.nz has released a three-part investigative series examining New Zealand’s upcoming digital food labelling trial, the Government’s Product Labelling Regulatory Review, and the wider question of whether consumers will actually gain — or lose — transparency under the proposed QR-code model.

“The timing is significant: MPI is currently consulting on a proposal to allow mandatory food-label information to be moved online, accessible only by scanning a QR code or barcode,” said the organisation in a press release.

Public consultation closes 19 December 2025 – the consultation link can be found here.

“Below is a summary of our findings and direct links to the full articles.

“Key concerns raised in our investigation

“The Government’s own Product Labelling Review highlighted regulatory duplication, inconsistent enforcement, and high compliance costs, yet the digital trial appears to address none of these core issues.

• The Review explicitly noted that mandatory information must remain on the physical label, raising questions about the legal basis for the trial.
• Stakeholders warned of accessibility barriers, noting that not all consumers can rely on smartphones or mobile data in supermarkets.
• Neither the Review nor the digital trial addresses a major transparency gap: the absence of pesticide, glyphosate, or chemical-residue information on NZ food labels.
• Digital labels can be updated at any time, creating opportunities for silent edits, weakened traceability, and reduced accountability.

Labels Without Truth: A Three-Part Investigation

“Part 1: Scan for the Truth: Why NZ Needs Real Food Transparency and QR-Code Lab Results

“How CleanScan-style labelling overseas is setting a new benchmark — and why NZ brands could do the same – link.

“Part 2: Digital Labels Are Coming to NZ — But Will They Reveal Anything That Matters?

“A breakdown of the digital trial: what’s being changed, what isn’t, and why transparency may not improve – link.

“Part 3: NZ Product Labelling Review: The Problems the Digital QR Trial Ignores

“Our analysis of the Government’s own Review — and the transparency failures it quietly exposes – link. ”

Why this matters

“New Zealand is at a turning point in food transparency. The shift to digital labels could modernise compliance — or it could create new gaps in consumer access, accountability, and truthfulness. As regulations evolve, the public interest element must stay front-and-centre.”