In early 2026, Food Ministers are expected to announce whether the Health Star Rating (HSR) system should be mandated. This would mean all packaged food would need to include the HSR.
HSR is currently a voluntary, front of pack, food labelling system that rates the overall nutritional profile of packaged foods and assigns a rating from ½ to 5 stars. It provides consumers with a quick and easy way of comparing similar food products. The number of stars is determined using the Health Star Rating System Calculator.
In 2020, Food Ministers set three uptake targets for the HSR System and agreed that if the final target (70% of products by November 2025) is not met by industry, they will consider mandating the HSR system:
At their meeting in July 2025, Food Ministers considered a report on consumer research which found most people were aware of the Health Star Rating (HSR) system, but there was still some misunderstanding on how it works, highlighting the need for more education.
In early 2026, Ministers are expected to consider whether the system should be mandated if the final uptake target is not met. Should Food Ministers agree, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) will raise a proposal (anticipated to be finalised by early 2027) to implement mandatory requirements. If successful, there would be a transition time for industry to comply.