An Australian state government has slammed supermarket chain Coles for allegedly labeling imported fruits as local, reported national newspaper The Australian.

The report said the New South Wales (NSW) government has given Coles a warning after allegations it labeled fruits such as Israeli Jaffa red grapefruits as ‘local’.

"In keeping with the authority's graduated enforcement policy, a warning letter was issued to the offending businesses; we are continuing to monitor the situation and in the event further breaches are found these businesses risk further enforcement action," NSW Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan was quoted as saying.

"Labeling imported food as Australian is up there with one of the most un-Australian things you can do,” he told the newspaper.

The report said Whan did not name Coles as one of the businesses concerned, but a Coles spokesperson said the company had been contacted by the Food Authority.

The spokesperson told The Australian that ‘pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli’ activists had tried to apply pressure on Coles for purchasing Israeli products.

“Any allegation that fruit is being deliberately mislabelled to avoid action from pressure groups on political matters is ridiculous,” he was quoted as saying.

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com