The Chef’s Choice alcohol free pure vanilla extract was sold in retail outlets, including supermarkets, and promoted in an online catalogue published on Regents Park, NSW-based HBC Trading’s website in October 2021.

Chef’s Choice used the word ‘pure’ in the product’s name and placed an image of vanilla beans and a vanilla flower on the label, despite the extract containing ingredients not derived from vanilla beans. This included flavouring in the form of vanillin derived from clove oil, as well as added colour, glycerine and xanthan gum.

“Vanilla is an expensive and sought-after ingredient that many bakers regard as essential. We are concerned that bakers who intended to buy ‘pure’ vanilla to make their cakes and slices could have been misled into buying extract that included additional flavour from a non-vanilla bean source,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.

“It is a basic rule of consumer law that what you advertise must be what you supply to your customers. In this case, our concern is that consumers would believe this product contained only an extract of vanilla beans, and not additional ingredients.”

While all ingredients were disclosed on the label, this disclosure was in significantly smaller font than the words ‘pure vanilla’ on the label.

“Consumers rely on the accuracy of claims made on food product label, and businesses must ensure their labelling is truthful and not likely to mislead consumers,” Rickard said.

The Chef’s Choice alcohol free pure vanilla extract was sold in retail outlets, including supermarkets, and promoted in an online catalogue published on HBC Trading’s website in October 2021.

The ACCC says HBC Trading has also agreed to amend the name and label of the product by removing the word ‘pure’ and renaming it ‘vanilla flavouring’

Footnote: Vanilla is a spice derived from a type of orchid and is the second-most expensive spice in the world (after saffron).