AMA chief calls for mandatory health star rating labels

State and federal governments should make health star ratings for packaged food mandatory, the president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has said.

Dr Steve Hambleton made the statement after the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) withdrew its support for the voluntary health star rating system, citing high costs and rating anomalies for its decision. Dr Hambleton accused the AFGC of “sabotag[ing] an important weapon in the war against obesity”.

“It is irresponsible for the food industry to walk away from the new system at this late stage,” Dr Hambleton said. “The AFGC has been heavily involved in discussions with government and public health advocates for more than 18 months and has had plenty of opportunities to voice any concerns they may have had.

“The recalcitrant food industry is clearly putting profits ahead of public health by undermining a voluntary system it helped to put in place. Governments must now bring the industry back into line by making the system mandatory.”

The AFGC raised concerns about the suggested front-of-pack nutrition labelling system in June.