Wellington, June 24 NZPA - Voluntary country of origin labelling on food is of little benefit to consumers who have to guess where products come from, the New Zealand Manufacturers and Exporters Association (NZMEA) says.

NZMEA chief executive John Walley said a consistent standard of food labelling would help consumers "make informed decisions and help enhance the `Made in New Zealand' brand".

"Under the current system consumers are left to guess where products have come from," he said.

Parliament's health committee considered a 39,000-signature petition presented by the Green Party last year calling for mandatory food labelling.

The committee decided mandatory labelling might impact on trade and restrict consumer choice.

In 2005 the Government decided against a proposed joint standard for labelling with Australia over concerns it would hurt trading relationships and be costly.

Both the United States and European Union have mandatory country of origin labelling.