Public health groups are urging the Australian and New Zealand governments to make Health Star Ratings mandatory on all packaged food and drink products.
The ratings, which range from 0.5 to 5 stars, help shoppers quickly see how healthy a product is. Currently, companies can choose whether to display the rating, and fewer low-scoring products show it.
The Health Star Rating system was introduced as a joint project between the two countries. It uses an algorithm to assess sugar, salt, fat, fibre, and other nutrients to give an overall score. However, it does not yet consider whether a food is ultra-processed.
At present, food makers have until mid-November to meet a voluntary target of displaying ratings on 70% of products, but they are unlikely to reach it. Research shows 60% of five-star products display their rating, but only 16% of very low-scoring items do.
Dr Alexandra Jones from the George Institute for Global Health says the system works, but without being mandatory, shoppers see a “skewed” picture. She believes industry influence over the ratings should be removed to build trust.
Campaigners want a decision on mandatory labelling by the end of next year, saying the scheme is already encouraging manufacturers to reduce sugar and salt in their products.
