A single word on a packet of Anzac biscuits being sold at local supermarkets could make them illegal. 

An eagle-eyed Reddit user noticed the label on the packet of eight Anzac biscuits being sold at a local IGA supermarket called the iconic treat ‘cookies’.

Under government guidelines Anzac biscuits ‘must not substantially deviate from the generally accepted recipe and shape, and must be referred to as Anzac Biscuits or Anzac Slice, not Anzac Cookies’.

Flouting those guidelines can lead to steep fines and even up to 12 months jail under the Protection of Word ‘Anzac’ Act 1920.

Those commenting on Reddit were almost equally unforgiving.

‘Anzac f****** WHAT NOW?????, one user said.

‘Straight to jail,’ was another commonly echoed sentiment.

Some also pointed out that although the recipe fell within the guidelines, the fact that the label could only guarantee it was made from ‘at least 10 per cent Australian ingredients’ also took away points for patriotism.   

An eagle-eyed social media user noticed this label describes Anzac biscuits as ‘cookies’, which is against official guidelines 

‘What should be illegal is Anzac biscuits only containing 10 per cent of Australian ingredients,’ one person said.

However, some thought it was a trivial offence. 

‘Stupid thing to even notice (let alone) get upset over,’ one person said.

‘Because that’s the most important thing we as a nation have to worry about,’ another wrote.

Woolworths were the subject of a furious customer backlash in 2021 after it changed the name of the Anzac biscuits it was selling to ‘golden oat biscuits’ but were then hit with a furious customer backlash.

Customers claimed online the supermarket giant abandoned the traditional name because some shoppers might have found it offensive. 

However, Woolworths said the name change was at the request of the Veterans Affairs Department and had nothing to do with ‘cancel culture’.

‘We didn’t have the relevant approvals to use the term for this particular recipe placement in the catalogue and wanted to ensure we respected the regulations,’ Woolworths said.

Anzac biscuits have become synonymous with honouring Australia’s wartime legacy

‘But we proudly stocked RSL Anzac biscuits, which help raise funds for veterans and their families, and have been through the required approval process.’ 

In the case of Woolworths ‘golden oats biscuits’, the recipe varied sufficiently from the traditional version so the company was denied permission to use the name on that product. 

Anzac biscuits have become synonymous with honouring Australia’s wartime legacy because they were often included in food parcels sent to Aussie troops fighting in Gallipoli and France during World War One.

These parcels supplemented the soldiers’ plain diet of tinned ‘bully’ beef and hardtack, also known as the ‘Anzac wafer’ or ‘Anzac tile’.

Anzac biscuits made from rolled oats, golden syrup and flour had high nutritional value and kept well while being transported overseas.