New Zealanders wanting a locally raised ham on the table this Christmas are being urged to order early and carefully check product labels.

Industry representatives warn a ham made in New Zealand is not necessarily made from New Zealand pork.

NZPork chair Mark Hooper said shoppers looking to support local pig farmers should start talking to retailers now, as imported pork continues to make up a significant share of ham and bacon products sold in New Zealand.

“Almost all fresh pork in the supermarket is from New Zealand, but it’s a different story for bacon and ham, where imported pork is widely used.”

According to NZPork, about 60% of pork consumed in New Zealand is imported.

Hooper said consumers should focus on where the pig was raised rather than relying on packaging that states a product was made in New Zealand.

Under country-of-origin labelling rules introduced for fresh and thawed bacon and ham in 2022, and frozen products in 2023, retailers must display where the pork was sourced.

However, the information is not required to appear on the front of the packaging.

“A ham can say ‘Made in New Zealand’ on the front, with a list of possible countries the pork has been sourced from in small print on the back,” Hooper said.

NZPork recommends shoppers look for products that state pigs were born and raised in New Zealand, list New Zealand as the sole origin country, or carry the organisation’s “100% NZ” ham or PigCare labels.

The PigCare label also indicates the pork comes from farms accredited under the industry’s animal welfare assurance programme.

NZPork said examples from two of the country’s largest ham brands highlighted the importance of checking individual product labels.

Product information published by Hellers for its Sliced Ham off the Bone range lists pork sourced from one or more of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Spain and the United States.

The company also sells a New Zealand free-farmed ham range.

Meanwhile, Beehive’s Champagne Ham product page lists pork sourced from pigs raised in 14 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.

New Zealand is not included among the listed origins.

NZPork research found 88% of New Zealanders believe the term “Made in NZ” should mean the animal was born and raised in New Zealand.

Hooper said the industry remained concerned some branding could leave shoppers with the impression pork was locally raised when it was not.

He said Parliament’s Regulations Review Committee had recommended the Government consider changes to reduce potential confusion around pork labelling.

“We want country-of-origin labelling for pork products, including bacon and ham, to be clear, accurate, prominent and enforceable, so shoppers can easily tell where their pork comes from,” Hooper said.