The number of companies using the Australian Made logo on their products has strengthened in the past three years, reflecting an increasing recognition by businesses that consumers are wanting to spend more money locally on items bearing trustworthy country-of-origin certification.
Not only has the sum of Australian Made licensees rocketed, but the breadth of products and categories leveraging the logo has also expanded – covering everything from handmade jewellery to electricity producers, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals to agricultural machinery and construction products.
According to recent Roy Morgan research: 94% of people surveyed believe Australian consumers and businesses trust the green-and-gold kangaroo certification logo; and 96% of respondents felt the logo reassures customers that the product is genuinely Australian.
In the countdown to Australian Made Week (15–21 May), Australian Made Chief Executive, Ben Lazzaro, it was encouraging to see the uplift in licensees and support of the program.
"The brand has become iconic over the past three years and businesses recognise that consumers rely on it to do their 'heavy lifting' in terms of knowing that if a product carries the logo, they can buy with confidence – seeing it as a symbol for authenticity, quality, sustainability and ethical labour," he said.
"Australian Made Week is an ideal time to draw attention to the exceptional manufacturing quality standards of Australian Made-certified products and the flow-on benefits of buying local.
"When you buy Australian Made, you have a direct economic impact on the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Australians throughout the supply chain.
"Even a small change to people's shopping habits can make a huge difference, with Roy Morgan research showing that if every household spent an additional $10 a week on Australian Made products, it would inject an extra $4.8 billion into the economy each year and create up to 9,500 new jobs."
The research also found that Aussies are willing to put their money with their mouth is, with nearly a third (31.1%) saying they would be willing to pay up to 10% more for Australian Made products.
The latest Australian Made Week campaign includes advertisements featuring tennis champion, previous Young Australian of the Year, author and Australian Made Ambassador Ash Barty calling on everyone to get involved in Australian Made Week by celebrating and supporting local makers and growers.
"I'm proud to be part of the campaign as it supports the livelihood of local manufacturing, local businesses, local families and local communities," Barty said.
"There are so many benefits to buying Australian Made, including creating and supporting local jobs and boosting the economies of the cities, towns and regions where the goods are produced.
"We're absolutely spoilt for choice in Australia as we have some of the best products in the world, manufactured and grown to the highest standards right here in our own backyard.
Now in its third year, Australian Made Week follows on from the huge success of the inaugural and 2022 campaign that prompted approximately 70% (71.2% and 68.8% respectively) of Aussies to increase their efforts to prioritise local product purchases.
Queensland-based MJ Playgrounds, which designs and manufactures high-quality play equipment at its Coolum factory, is one of the 4,400 businesses that consider their Australian Made certification as a badge of honour.
"The Australian Made logo enables buyers here and around the globe to instantly identify authentic Aussie brands such as ours," MJ Playgrounds' General Manager Danielle Perry said.
"Through our cutting-edge manufacturing, we are not only creating play equipment – and of course boundless fun for those who enjoy it – we are creating jobs in regional areas and helping grow the local economy."
The Australian Made Week advertisements can be viewed here.
Australian Made Week runs from 15–21 May 2023. Consumers can discover more and find genuine Aussie products at australianmadeweek.com.au
