Australia’s food ministers have received a round of applause from leading public health groups for their decision to enforce Health Star Ratings (HSR) if the food industry fails to comply. This move aims to counter the decade-long reluctance of the food industry to meet voluntary targets, pushing for compulsory ratings to benefit Australian families.
VicHealth, Food for Health Alliance, and The George Institute for Global Health expressed strong support for the government’s stance. The decision comes as a response to the industry’s sluggishness in adopting the Health Star Rating system, which was introduced to help consumers make healthier food choices by cutting through misleading marketing.
Dr Sandro Demaio, CEO of VicHealth, emphasised the significance of making the system mandatory, stating, “The Health Star Rating system is designed to help Australians make healthier choices for themselves and their families. However, its effectiveness is limited if it isn’t applied uniformly across all product categories.”
Dr Demaio criticised the major food companies for failing to meet their voluntary targets over the past decade. He praised the food ministers for their proactive steps to prioritise the health and wellbeing of Australian consumers, highlighting the need for industry accountability.
The Health Star Rating system, introduced in 2019, initially saw 40% of intended packaged foods displaying the rating. However, this figure has since dropped to 32%, falling short of the interim targets set by the ministers. These targets were:
- 50% of intended products to display an HSR by 14 November 2023
- 60% by 14 November 2024
Dr Alexandra Jones, Program Lead for Food Governance at The George Institute and Senior Lecturer at UNSW Sydney, pointed out the industry’s slow and selective adoption of the system. “The slow and selective adoption of the Health Star Rating system by food manufacturers has steadily eroded its value. There is nothing in their performance to date to suggest industry can reach the 70% target by the end of 2025,” she said. Dr Jones stressed that achieving this target would require a significant change from several large manufacturers and participation from numerous smaller companies.
Jane Martin, Executive Manager of the Food for Health Alliance, also supported the move, asserting that Australians deserve transparent labels on their food. “Our research has found that three in four Australians want the Government to mandate health stars being displayed on the front of all packaged food and drinks,” she stated. Martin commended the commitment by Assistant Health Minister Ged Kearney and the Food Ministers to mandate the system, seeing it as a crucial step towards empowering consumers to make more informed decisions about their health.
The next Food Ministers Meeting is scheduled for November 2024, where further steps towards making the Health Star Rating system mandatory will likely be discussed. Public health advocates are optimistic that this initiative will finally hold the food industry accountable and prioritise the health of Australian consumers.
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Australia’s food ministers will enforce compulsory Health Star Ratings due to industry non-compliance, aiming to improve consumer health. 😊🍏 Public health groups support this, stressing the need for accountability & transparency. 🇦🇺📊💪 #TheIndianSunhttps://t.co/75UgGVkQDz
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