FSANZ to advance nutrition labelling standards

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is now set to begin scoping work for a review of front- and back-of-pack nutrition labelling standards to determine how they can provide better information to help consumers make informed and healthy dietary choices.

FSANZ will begin preparatory work to support mandating the front-of-pack Health Star Rating (HSR) system should industry not meet voluntary uptake targets. The work will inform future decisions by food ministers on the HSR and support efficient implementation if the system is mandated.

HSR work will be undertaken in parallel with the review of nutrition information panels (NIP) on the back of packaged foods.

Any review would be the first for the NIP in over 20 years.

NIPs on food labels currently provide information on the average quantity of energy in kilojoules, or in kilojoules and kilocalories, and these nutrients:

• protein
• fat
• saturated fat
• carbohydrate
• sugars
• sodium — a component of salt.

A NIP will include information about other nutrients if a claim is made. For example, if a food has a “good source of fibre” claim then the amount of dietary fibre in the food must be shown in the NIP. The NIP must be presented in a standard format that shows the average quantity per serving and per 100 g, or 100 mL if a liquid.

While undertaking the HSR and NIP review scoping activities, FSANZ will also advance work on two alcohol labelling proposals:

• Proposal P1059 – Energy labelling on alcoholic beverages is examining options for the declaration of energy content information in a prescribed format on the label of packaged alcoholic beverages. If approved, the labelling will allow consumers to compare the kilojoule content of alcoholic beverages, just like they can for food products.
• Proposal P1049 – Carbohydrate and sugar claims on alcoholic beverages seeks to clarify existing Food Standards Code permissions for nutrition content claims about carbohydrate and sugar on alcohol.

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert welcomed food ministers agreeing to the labelling work package.

“We look forward to working closely with food regulation system stakeholders as we progress work on HSR and the NIP.”

Public consultation on both alcohol labelling proposals has been completed, with the FSANZ Board expected to consider the proposals in late 2024 or early 2025.

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