Food Ministers' Meeting: mandating HSR in hands of regulators

The Food Ministers’ Meeting met on 25 July 2024 in Adelaide to consider food regulation and policy matters.

One of the key outcomes from the meeting was about the Health Star Rating (HSR) system.

In May 2024, ministers expressed their disappointment in the uptake of the HSR system. The results are significantly off-track to reach the final target by the end of 2025 — ie, 70% of intended products apply an HSR by 14 November 2025.

In 2020, the food industry set itself a target to get ratings on 60% of intended products by 14 November 2024 but currently only 32% of products carry the rating. 

The peak body for public health has welcomed the decision of the Food Ministers’ Meeting to allow Food Standards Australia New Zealand and the Food Regulation Standing Committee to inform future decision-making to mandate the HSR system.

The decision will shift oversight from the food industry in the Health Star Ratings Advisory Committee to government regulators.

Ministers have also agreed to simultaneously commence a holistic review of the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP), a key policy action for which the Public Health Association of Australia and other health bodies have strongly advocated.

“It’s a welcome and necessary step in mandating the Health Star Rating system and ensuring that food labelling in Australia better serves people in Australia,” Public Health Association of Australia CEO Adj Prof Terry Slevin said.  

Also under discussion at the meeting was:

• regulation of infant formula products, with ministers agreeing to not request a review of Proposal P1028 – Infant formula;
• improving commercial foods for infants and young children, with ministers approving documents for public consultation;
• added sugar consumer research, with ministers discussing the policy implications of FSANZ’s research and looking forward to the outcomes of: Proposal P1049 Carbohydrate and sugar claims on alcoholic beverages; and Proposal P1059 Energy labelling on alcoholic beverages;
• the FSANZ Act review was progressed to the next stage in the legislative process;
• modernising the food regulatory system, with ministers agreeing on content for a System Statement and Regulator Commitments, as well as a strategic plan for the system.

The food ministers will meet again in November 2024.

Image credit: iStock.com/vgajic