AUSTRALIA's competition watchdog has exposed three imported olive oils for being falsely labelled as extra virgin.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today revealed the results of tests it commissioned on a range of imported and locally grown olive oils.

The tests were conducted in the wake of similar tests last year by the NSW Government that showed imported oil being sold as extra virgin oil was often inferior quality oil and in some cases even contained other products such as canola oil.

The ACCC found that three of the oils it tested were not extra virgin olive oil, as defined by the International Olive Council.

The three brands were:  IGA Distribution Pty Ltd's corporate brand Isabella Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Paese Mio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, imported by Calcorp (Australia) Pty Ltd and supplied exclusively through Coles supermarkets and Aigeon 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil, imported by Basfoods (Aust) Pty Ltd and sold mainly through delis and restaurants.

 

In a statement, the ACCC said it believed that "by representing that these products were extra virgin olive oil each of IGA Distribution, Calcorp and Basfoods is likely to have engaged in false, misleading and deceptive conduct in breach of the Trade Practices Act 1974."

It said it had imposed court enforceable undertakings on all three companies.

"Calcorp and Basfoods have undertaken that, for the next three years, they will obtain a certificate of analysis from their suppliers demonstrating the product's compliance with the IOC standard, which they will then verify with independent testing, before supplying a batch of oil labelled olive oil, virgin olive oil or extra virgin olive oil," the ACCC said.

"For the next three years, IGA Distribution will require each of its suppliers of corporate brand extra virgin olive oil to provide an annual test report that demonstrates compliance of the extra virgin olive oil with specified criteria."

The ACCC said it had also "engaged major retailer Coles in discussions, encouraging the implementation of measures to ensure the extra virgin olive oil being sold Australia-wide by Coles is accurately labelled".

"In future, Coles intends to require test reports from its suppliers of proprietary brands of extra virgin olive oil annually and will verify that the test reports support the claim that the product is extra virgin olive oil," it said.