Consumers are often the first to notice when something about a seafood product does not make sense. This guide helps you preserve evidence, raise the concern fairly and direct serious matters to the right authority.
Five resources to help you document, report and follow up on a seafood concern.
Structured form to record the product, claim, discrepancy and evidence. Use it when contacting the business or reporting to an authority.
PDF coming soonWhat to keep, photograph and document before evidence disappears. Covers packaging, receipts, labels, menus, batch codes and photographs.
PDF coming soonA concise, factual template for writing to a business or regulator. Adaptable to any seafood concern.
PDF coming soonWho to contact for what: food authorities, ACCC, fisheries, biosecurity, certification bodies and urgent health contacts.
PDF coming soonTrack what happened after you reported. Record responses, reference numbers, follow-up dates and final outcomes.
PDF coming soonRecord exactly what the seafood was represented to be. The claim may have appeared on a package, retail display, menu, receipt, online platform, advertisement, certification mark, country-of-origin statement, or a verbal description by staff.
Treat the matter as urgent if the seafood may have caused or could cause serious illness, allergic reaction, breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness, severe vomiting or diarrhoea, neurological symptoms, suspected chemical poisoning, injury from a foreign object, or illness affecting several people.
Seek medical assistance first. In an emergency, contact emergency services.
Evidence can disappear quickly. Menus change, online descriptions are edited, packaging is discarded and seafood is consumed or deteriorates.
Avoid broad accusations. Instead, describe the observable discrepancy.
Before making the complaint, consider five questions:
Unless there is an urgent food-safety concern, suspected serious criminal activity or another reason not to do so, begin with the business that sold or served the seafood.
A written complaint should be concise and factual.
Reasonable requested outcomes might include: an explanation, correction of a menu or label, refund or replacement, supplier verification, withdrawal of affected product, investigation of the batch, notification of other customers, staff training, or referral to the appropriate authority.
Different organisations perform different functions. Sending a report to the wrong body can delay action.
Different organisations perform different functions. Match your concern to the appropriate pathway.
For life-threatening or time-critical emergencies, call 000.
triplezero.gov.auAvailable 24 hours a day throughout Australia. Do not wait for symptoms before calling.
poisonsinfo.nsw.gov.auInformation and support for people living with allergies and those at risk of anaphylaxis.
allergyfacts.org.auAustralasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy clinical guidance on anaphylaxis.
allergy.org.auAustralian Government health information on recognising and responding to anaphylaxis.
healthdirect.gov.auNational starting point for food safety, allergen, labelling and Food Standards Code concerns.
foodstandards.gov.auReport false or misleading advertising, product claims, and country-of-origin concerns.
accc.gov.auCentrally maintained ACCC page linking to relevant state and territory consumer-affairs and fair-trading agencies.
accc.gov.au β consumer helpShort weight, inaccurate scales or packaged quantity concerns.
industry.gov.au β NMISuspicious imported seafood, biosecurity matters, and agriculture policy enquiries.
agriculture.gov.auAustralian Government fisheries information, policy and enquiry pathways.
agriculture.gov.au β fisheriesFind the relevant state, territory or Commonwealth fisheries authority for your concern.
fish.gov.auCommonwealth fisheries management, compliance and enforcement.
afma.gov.auFor restaurant hygiene or local food-business concerns, contact the council where the business operates.
alga.com.au β council mapsLocal council or state/territory food enforcement or health authority
State or territory food regulator or local council
The business first, followed by the relevant state or territory consumer-protection agency
Report to the ACCC; seek individual assistance through the relevant consumer-protection agency
ACCC reporting pathway and, where relevant, the responsible food enforcement body
National Measurement Institute
Relevant state, territory or Commonwealth fisheries authority
Australian Government department responsible for agriculture, fisheries and biosecurity
Certification owner or scheme administrator; ACCC where the commercial claim may be misleading
Business first; relevant food or consumer regulator where the description may breach applicable law
Relevant regulator and, where appropriate, Seafood Consumers Association Ltd or I-CADMUS for de-identified intelligence
Last reviewed: . Referral links should be checked regularly as government websites may change.
Escalate the matter when the business does not respond, the explanation is inadequate, the product may be unsafe, other consumers may be affected, the same problem appears repeatedly, records or claims appear deliberately false, or the matter may involve illegal fishing, false documentation or organised activity.
A satisfactory response is not always a prosecution or public announcement. Depending on circumstances, an appropriate outcome may include a clear explanation, correction of inaccurate information, refund or replacement, product withdrawal, supplier investigation, scientific testing, staff education, amended procurement controls, or formal enforcement.
Complete this form to create a structured record of your concern. You can use it when contacting the business or reporting to an authority.
Complete as much as you can. You do not need to fill in every field.
I-CADMUS consumer learning is being developed to help everyone recognise, classify and report seafood-integrity concerns.
