NZ Food Safety upgraded the Health Star Rating System in Food Labelling for helping consumers.

November 16, 2022
Example of Health Star rating System

The Health Star Rating System will be upgraded on November 14, 2022, making it tougher on sugar and salt.  It helps consumers make healthier food choices by evaluating the nutritional benefits of packaged foods. In this system, food with more stars is healthier as compared to food with fewer stars, but stars should not be used to compare different food kinds. The system employs a 0.5-5-star rating system.

The government does not charge for using the Health Star Rating system, which is still voluntary. If manufacturer adoption does not reach a 70% objective by 2025, the government will consider making the system mandatory. The monitoring will take place in November 2023 to evaluate advancement toward a government intermediate target of 50% of targeted products sporting the stars.

The trans-Tasman system, which was first introduced in 2014, has been improved as a result of 2019. A study found it to be functioning well and recommended changes to better reflect dietary standards. Significant modifications include automatic 5-star ratings for minimally processed fruit and vegetables, as well as lower ratings for goods with high sugar and salt content such as sweet morning cereals and fruit juices.

We’ve listened to people’s complaints about rating inconsistencies after learning that some of them had troubles. Mr. Arbuckle said, those flaws have been addressed and the system is stronger by using the best and latest science from a variety of experts and growing harder on sugar and salt. With the change, consumers can be sure to make even better selections immediately. By the middle of 2021, more than 5,600 grocery items manufacturers and in-house brands at Countdown, Four Square, New World, and Pak’n Save had health stars on their labels.

People have busy lifestyles and it might be challenging to make healthier choices when it comes to food. However, this does not imply that you can consume a lot of food with more stars. The suggested serving size can be found on the nutrition information panel on the packaging. As a result, Professionals and Nutritionists created this system to simplify the process and provide consumers with quick access to nutritional information.

For further information related to this news, please visit the following link.

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news/media-releases/boosted-health-star-ratings-get-tougher-on-sugar-and-salt/?utm_source=notification-email: NZ Food Safety upgraded the Health Star Rating System in Food Labelling for helping consumers.
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