Packaged foods in Australia will feature a health star rating to assist consumers in making informed and healthier food choices, announced Tanya Plibersek, minister for health and Shayne Neumann, parliamentary secretary for Health and Ageing, following the Food Regulation Forum in Sydney.
The voluntary five-star rating system for food nutrition was developed by a committee of government representatives, industry and public health groups, as well as consumer watchdog Choice and has been approved by the nation's food and health ministers. The system's rating scale, up to five stars, will reflect the nutritional value of the food—the more stars, the more nutritious the food. The system also will include nutrient information icons for energy, saturated fat, sodium, sugars and can include one "positive" nutrient such as calcium or fiber.
The health star system will apply to packaged, manufactured and processed foods. Packaged food manufacturers will have two years to voluntarily implement health star ratings on the front of their products, or risk legislative measures. Although the preferred implementation option in Australia is a voluntary system, if after two years it is found to be unsuccessful, a further mandatory approach will be required. The goal of the system is for manufacturers to adopt a "health star rating" to give consumers at-a glance information about the foods they are buying. The star rating system would encourage healthy eating and help address long-term issues around obesity and chronic disease, according to the Public Health Association of Australia.
