Changes to the Health Star Rating system will mandate labels on thousands of new products, with the aim to give Australians a more accurate picture of the food they’re consuming.
Health Star ratings have previously been optional, but Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) are pushing for mandated stars on products that already have nutrition labels.
University of Wollongong student Ocea Thiedeman, said that the stars are under-utilised due to a lack of consumer exposure to them.
“It’s not on all the products so it’s not standardised,” Ms Thiedeman said.
“People don’t use them as much as they could.”
The rating algorithm is based on nutritional value of a product, but many companies use one nutrient to offset another to deceptively increase their rating.
UOW student Miles Daly, said that the current labelling algorithm must be addressed in order for consumers to rely on ratings.
“If you’ve got packaging that tells you honestly if something is five out of five health stars, it’s a lot easier for a lot of people to actually know what they’re getting,” Mr Daly said.
A mandated approach will aim to strengthen the current algorithm and address gaps in the voluntary system.
