KEY POINTS:
The origins of fruit and vegetables will soon be identified on the supermarket shelf, as customers demand more information about their food.
Progressive Enterprises - which operates Foodtown, Countdown and Woolworths stores - is introducing the labelling in its stores and in its weekly mailers.
Competitor Foodstuffs, which
operates New World and Pak'n Save, already labels the country of origin on all imported fruit and vegetables.
Some independent operators, such as Naturally Organic on the North Shore, also label all products that can be identified as being made in New Zealand.
Supermarkets in Britain have reacted strongly to the issue of food miles - how far food travels to the shop shelf - as concern about global warming grows.
The swing to "buying local" by British consumers has been dubbed the new organic trend.
Green Party MP Sue Kedgley welcomed the labelling initiatives but urged the supermarkets to go further by labelling meat and other fresh food.
"We import 40 per cent of our pig meat. The overwhelming majority won't say anything [about origin on their labels] and I think people have a right to know," she said.
A private member's bill on food labelling introduced to Parliament by Ms Kedgley was voted out last year.
She said she planned to introduce another bill, more closely focused on the country of origin.
Figures from market researchers Nielsen shows that the number of people who try to buy locally made products has dropped 10 per cent in the past five years to 38 per cent.
The demand for organic food has remained largely stable, but the number of consumers who try to buy household products that do not pollute the environment has dropped from 63 per cent to 55 per cent.
However Rob Chemaly, Foodstuffs Auckland general manager of strategy and new ventures, said public interest in supermarkets' environmental policies was increasing.
He said most customer feedback related to reducing waste but other suggestions included shutting off refrigeration, lighting and air conditioning in stores.
"When you are taking about the environment, you do get extreme views from time to time."
Mr Chemaly said most fresh food, including meat, dairy products and seafood, came from New Zealand.
The country of origin on processed foods was generally indicated on the label.
Both major supermarket owners are members of the New Zealand Packaging Accord, which aims to reduce the amount of waste through packaging.
They train staff in packing techniques, sell reusable bags and issue guidelines about having at least seven items per plastic bag.
Progressive spokeswoman Elizabeth Higgs said the company saw a dramatic increase in the number of reusable bags sold after it reduced the price to 99c last year.
The company now sells about 9000 of the "eco bags" each week.
