According to a statement from New Zealand’s Green Party, the country’s government is mulling plans to abandon country of origin labelling for footwear and clothes.

"Consumers will be alarmed by government plans to dispense with the requirement that clothes and footwear carry country of origin labels identifying where they have come from, once 'residual tariff' issues have been resolved," said Green Consumer Affairs spokesperson Sue Kedgley.

According to the statement the Prime Minister claimed the only reason New Zealand has mandatory country of origin rules for clothing and footwear was because of residual tariffs and that these rules will go when tariffs are removed.

Ms Kedgley added, "I am utterly dismayed that the government is intending to get rid of the requirement for labels on clothing and footwear identifying where it has come from. Without this, consumers have no idea whether they are buying T-shirts from China or Christchurch, Levin or London" Such a move would undermine both our fragile textile industry and the ‘Buy Kiwi Made’ campaign.”