Health Star Ratings voluntary phase nears end

Public health groups are calling for Australian and New Zealand food ministers to provide a clear timeline for swift implementation of a mandatory Health Star Rating system.

The deadline for manufacturers to achieve the final voluntary uptake target of 70% approaches on 14 November — more than 10 years since the system was introduced.

Consumers may not experience the system operating to full effect in stores until 2029 or later if the requirement for food ministers to consider a mandating proposal after the final figures are reviewed is factored in, while also allowing for the standard two to three years to introduce any new label policy.

“Mandating the system is the first and most important step to deliver Australians and New Zealanders the simple guidance they need to make healthier choices for themselves and their families, and we urge the government to streamline the process as much as possible to mandate Health Star Ratings without unnecessary delay,” said Dr Alexandra Jones, Program Head of Food Governance at The George Institute for Global Health and Conjoint Associate Professor at UNSW Sydney. “The evidence that the voluntary system is not working is there and we have already waited 11 years.”

A survey of 1100 Australians conducted on behalf of VicHealth in late 2024 showed nutritional information is the second most important driver of food purchase behind price, but that many respondents had a strong mistrust of food manufacturers’ transparency on food labels.

Other research has shown that the majority of Australian adults (82%) think Health Star Ratings should be included on all packaged foods, 66% agreed compulsory labelling would make Health Star Ratings more useful and 65% agreed it would help to simplify their decision-making.

“Our research shows the Health Star Rating continues to be selectively applied by the food industry, often for marketing purposes on high-scoring products, which has fundamentally undermined their effectiveness and delayed making improvements to strengthen the system in line with the latest international evidence,” Jones said.

“The proportion of products voluntarily displaying the Health Star Rating has stagnated at 36% or just over a third of packaged foods on shelves for the past several years, making it very difficult for people to compare similar items in the supermarket and we don’t want this to go on any longer than it has to,” she added.

“In addition to a clear and expedient timeline, we are asking for regular independent reviews of the algorithm underlying the system.”

Recent research by The George Institute has shown:

• 60% uptake of Health Star Ratings among five-star rated products, compared to just 16% of products that would score half a star if displayed;
• Only 24% of products that score three stars or lower are displaying the rating.

Past experience with mandating Country-of-Origin labelling showed that widespread and rapid food labelling change can be achieved when required by law.

“We have long been advocating for Health Star Ratings to be mandated. It’s one critical action the government can take, to make it easier for Australians to make more informed nutrition choices when doing their grocery shopping,” Magriet Raxworthy, Dietitians Australia Chief Executive Officer, said.

“Australians want easy, transparent nutrition information about the food they are choosing for themselves and their families, and mandating the system will bring more consistency and clarity across the shelves.

“We know this is not a silver bullet — it will be most effective when paired with education and access to accredited practising dietitians who can help Australians with personalised, detailed nutrition guidance and counselling. But this is an important first step for the government to take towards transforming our food and nutrition system in Australia.”

Best practice in labelling is based on international, peer-reviewed scientific evidence of impact, as well as guiding nutritional frameworks, noted Dr Bridget Kelly, Dietitian and Professor of Public Health Nutrition at the University of Wollongong.

“WHO recommends that labels should be applied universally across food products, to avoid the selective display of labels on a subset of products, which limits consumers’ ability to compare products,” Kelly said.

“International guidance also emphasises that governments should have ultimate responsibility and authority over the label and the nutritional criteria or algorithm that underpins it, to avoid conflicts of interest and to build consumer trust.

“While there are a variety of systems used around the world, research shows that people’s familiarity with a system improves its performance. Existing awareness of Health Star Ratings is a good reason to retain this label; the government should continue to improve it and support consumers to understand and use it.”

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