Member Matters

Health Star Rating enters next phase following Ministerial direction

19 February 2026

On Friday 13 February 2026, Food Ministers directed FSANZ to commence the process to mandate Health Star Rating (HSR) labelling, as confirmed in the meeting communique.

In the lead up to the decision, media coverage intensified – including a feature on the 7.30 program – reflecting continued public and stakeholder debate about the scope, intent and future direction of HSR. This is a clear signal that the next phase of reform will attract significant scrutiny and competing policy pressure. The AFGC moved quickly, issuing media statements in response to both the 7.30 coverage and the Ministers’ decision, reinforcing industry’s commitment to a system that is practical, evidence-based and delivers meaningful information to consumers.

What happens next

FSANZ will now formally raise a Proposal to initiate amendments to the Food Standards Code. We expect this stage to take at least 12–18 months, followed by an implementation transition period.

Our engagement will occur both through the formal FSANZ consultation process and more broadly across government. Continued member engagement will also be critical. The dedicated HSR member working group established to support AFGC’s input into FSANZ’s preparatory work will remain active and central to shaping our advocacy position through this next phase.

Resource

To support members during this period, the AFGC has developed a concise one-page resource consolidating key information on the HSR system, including how ratings are calculated and the current algorithm framework.

For AFGC support contact Anne-Marie Mackintosh, Associate Director – Nutrition and Regulation anne-marie.mackintosh@afgc.org.au‑

Other labelling discussions

Ministers at their meeting also noted that Food Standards Australia New Zealand has completed its review of the Nutrition Information Panel and confirmed that the current requirements are still working as intended, so no regulatory changes are needed at this stage. This is particularly relevant while given the work on mandating the Health Star Rating system.

The review also found no clear benefit in introducing mandatory added sugars labelling. However, Ministers have asked the Food Regulation Standing Committee to look at whether sugars information could be communicated more clearly to consumers, especially once updated dietary guidelines are available. More broadly, the review highlighted opportunities to help consumers better understand nutrition information through education, clearer guidance for industry, and improvements to front-of-pack labelling. FSANZ will publish the final review outcomes following Ministers’ consideration.