Health Coalition Aotearoa welcomes decision to progress its longheld recommendation for mandatory Health Star Ratings on packaged foods
Health Coalition Aotearoa has welcomed the decision by food ministers from Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia to heed its recommendation and take the next step towards making Health Star Ratings (HSR) mandatory on packaged food.
The Health Star Rating is a front-of-pack label that rates food from 0.5 stars to 5 stars, based on its nutritional value. The system is designed to help shoppers compare products and make healthier choices more easily.
After years of voluntary use, a recent HSR monitoring report found uptake of the system remained below target levels, with only 36 percent of products in New Zealand and 39 percent in Australia displaying Health Star Ratings, well below the 70 percent target. The ministers said this limited uptake has made the system less effective and has undermined trust.
As outlined in the Health Star Rating Policy Briefing Note, front-of-pack nutrition labelling systems currently exist in more than 50 countries, with at least 15 countries enforcing it as mandatory. This is in line with the recognition from the World Health Organization of the labels as a “best buy” public health tool to address diet-related disease.
Health Coalition Aotearoa Food Panel Group Co-Chair Dr Sally Mackay from the University of Auckland has been advocating since 2017 for HSR to be mandatory, calling it a big win for Kiwis.
“People want clear and reliable information at a glance. Making HSR mandatory will help families and shoppers make healthier choices, while also encouraging food companies to improve the nutrition of the foods they sell.”
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) will now undertake two rounds of public consultation on the proposal before reporting back to ministers for a final decision,
“We look forward to supporting strengthening the health star rating system over time, ensuring it is in alignment with the latest evidence.
It’s about giving people the information they need to make confident choices and sending a clear signal to the food industry that healthier products matter,” says Dr Mackay.
