OJ's orange juice, a mixture of juice concentrate, tap water, sugar and preservatives, cannot be described as "100% pure" its Levin manufacturers O and K Limited has learned.

O an K pleaded guilty to breaching the Fair Trading Act in the Wellington District Court today. It was the first conviction resulting from the Commerce Commission's investigation of orange juice labelling.

Judge Costigan said she kept the small size of the company, it is a one man operation, in mind when she set a fine of $1,500 plus costs $95.

In February last year, O and K signed an undertaking agreeing to stop labelling its juice as "fresh" and "freshly squeezed" because it contained preservatives.

However, in June the Commission received a further complaint that not only was the juice still being labelled as fresh and freshly squeezed but the words "contains no preservatives" and "100% pure" had also been added.

The label on the concentrate used by O and K listed ingredients including sugar, preservatives, orange and tangelo juice. Tests carried out for the Commission showed OJ's juice contained three preservatives.

Commission Chairman Alan Bollard said the Commission is reviewing the labelling of a wide range of juice manufacturers as part of its investigation of orange juice labelling.

Dr Bollard said juices described as fresh or freshly squeezed should not have been frozen or pasteurised, and should contain no preservatives. Juice which has been made from concentrate should not be called fresh.

He said juice described as pure orange juice should contain only orange juice. Pure fruit juice could contain a combination of fruit juices but any juice described as pure should contain nothing but juice.

"I am pleased with this decision because it shows courts will support actions against businesses which ignore warnings or settlements with the Commission. It also sends a clear message to manufacturers that they must accurately label their juices."

Media contact:Keith Manch, Manger Fair Trading Act Enforcement

phone work (04) 471 0180, home (04) 479 7105

Vince Cholewa, Communications Officer

Phone work (04) 471 0180, home (04) 479 1432