Adding health star ratings to all packaged foods could stop the “worsening national crisis” of obesity, public health bodies say as they push for changes to the labelling system.
Ranging from half a star to five stars, the health star rating was designed to help shoppers quickly compare the nutritional value of similar products.
They are voluntary, allowing food and beverage companies to choose whether or not to use them.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is considering a proposal to make the stars mandatory on all packaged food.
FSANZ said the uptake of health star ratings was well below the 70 per cent target set by Australian and New Zealand food ministers, with fewer than 40 per cent of intended products displaying it.
The regulator said that the gap in uptake prompted renewed consideration of a mandatory system to deliver consistent, trusted nutrition information for consumers.
Doctors and health organisations from the Cancer Council to Diabetes Australia said it would boost public health.
But the grocery industry believes the voluntary system is working and mandatory label changes will burden businesses with additional costs.
The Food and Grocery Council says mandatory health star ratings would be costly. (ABC News and AAP)
Inconsistent health stars ‘confusing’
Research carried out for FSANZ found most consumers reported they rarely noticed or used the health star rating, while a smaller number said they consulted it for specific items such as lunch box snacks or children’s breakfast cereal.
Shoppers said they supported the idea of making the rating compulsory as it would increase consumers’ confidence in the system.
Ministers from across Australia and New Zealand with responsibility for food expressed concern about the low uptake of the rating when they met in February.
They agreed, by majority, to request FSANZ to prepare a proposal to mandate the system.
Australia’s Assistant Health Minister Rebecca White announced the opening of public submissions in May.
“Right now not every product carries a health star ratin, which can make it harder for people to make informed choices when they’re standing in the supermarket aisle,” she said.
“Putting simple, clear information on the front of packaging will ensure all shoppers can quickly and easily make healthier choices.”
Danielle McMullen says the voluntary health star system is not working. (Supplied: AMA)
Stars lead to healthy choices, experts say
Doctors and public health associations say it is time to enforce the ratings.
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is particularly concerned about the worsening obesity crisis.
AMA federal president Danielle McMullen said obesity rates had increased for more than 25 years and would continue without decisive action.
“Voluntary participation in the health star rating has not worked, with independent monitoring showing industry uptake hovering at just 36 per cent,”
she said.
“For the health star rating system to be truly effective it must be led by government and free of industry interference.”
Dr McMullen said obesity was a major risk factor for chronic conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
“Australians live busy lives … and should have a food labelling system that helps them make healthy choices about the food they eat,” said Diabetes Australia CEO Justine Cain.
The Heart Foundation also agreed that consistent food labelling was “a critical public health measure”.
Alexandra Jones leads the George Institute for Global Health’s food governance program. (ABC News: Scott Preston)
George Institute for Global Health food governance program lead Alexandra Jones, whose organisation has been monitoring the health star rating for 12 years, said “consumers simply can’t use” the ratings system because “the stars were still missing from the majority of products”.
“There’s a conflict of interest between the food industry and the scores of any particular product,” Dr Jones said.
Change would be ‘complicated’
The Australian Food and Grocery Council said rating and labelling changes would come at “significant” cost for businesses.
The council’s director of health and regulatory affairs Duncan Craig said the industry was happy with the current system.
“Label changes are really complicated,”
Dr Craig said.
“We have businesses that could have over 200 different product variants, each of those require really detailed assessments.
“What FSANZ is proposing is some slight tweaks to the way the health star rating label is applied. These sound small, but do have a lot of impacts to businesses.”
Updating the algorithm
The calculation used to determine health stars has come under criticism too, including by the juice industry, which says diet soft drinks rank higher than 100 per cent fruit juice.
Nutritionists want the rating algorithm to consider processing methods. (ABC News)
The AMA said the calculations should be expanded.
“Currently there is scepticism around how the scores are determined, so while mandating must be the first priority, reviewing the algorithm regularly will be imperative,” Dr McMullen said.
Health specialists say the algorithm should also consider processing methods.
But the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s Dr Craig said there was a lack of evidence to support links between processed food and poor health.
“Incorporating a level of processing would negatively impact many nutritious products, things like wholegrain bread or various yoghurts,” he said.
Wholemeal and multigrain breads display 4 or 4.5-star ratings.
Many natural or Greek-style yoghurts do not display the rating, but those that do carry 3 stars, while some “kids” fruit yoghurts carry higher ratings.
A decision from FSANZ on the proposal is expected in 2027 after public consultation and reviews.
