Health Star Ratings set to become regulated in Australia and NZ

At the Food Ministers’ Meeting today (13 February 2026), it was decided that due to the lack of uptake with the voluntary Health Star Rating (HSR) system, it will now become mandatory across Australia and New Zealand. However, there would be no changes to the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP).

The uptake target of 70% of intended products displaying the HSR by November 2025 hasn’t been met, with uptake at 39% in Australia and 36% in New Zealand.

Due to this low uptake, FSANZ has now been requested to prepare a Proposal on mandating the HSR system in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Preparatory work from FSANZ indicated no regulatory barriers to mandating the system, subject to statutory requirements being met. It will now undertake two rounds of public consultation to inform the report back to ministers for a final decision.

The Australian Food & Grocery Council (AFGC) issued an immediate comment following the decision by the Food Ministers to mandate the HSR system:

“The AFGC has been closely involved in the development of the HSR and has consistently maintained that, as it currently stands, it is one of several tools that can help consumers make informed choices.

“As discussions progress, genuine consultation with industry will be essential, along with a practical and realistic implementation timeline. Mandating HSR will have significant operational, labelling and supply chain implications for food and grocery manufacturers, and careful planning will be critical to support a smooth transition.”

While there is strong consumer support for the HSR, according to reports, misunderstandings still persist about how to use it — particularly if it’s used for comparing similar products. The Ministers have now agreed to include further recent reports on the HSR website to support public confidence in the system.

Another key outcome from the meeting was the confirmation that regulatory changes to the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP) are not required at this time, given consideration of mandating the HSR system.

The review confirmed that the current NIP requirements continue to meet their purpose of providing consistent and meaningful nutrition information, balancing consumer needs with international alignment and industry practicality. Ministers noted that the review found no clear benefit to mandating “added sugars” labelling. Ministers requested that the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) further consider how sugars information can be better provided to consumers, in line with updated dietary guidelines when available.

The next Food Ministers Meeting has been set for May 2026.

Image credit: iStock.com/kyoshino