HSR uptake climbs to 5900
September 8 2022
FGC member companies are continuing to bring more food products into the Health Star Rating system.
At the end of December, they had 3363 products with HSR labels on them – an increase of 316 on December 2021.
The increase is more significant because it comes at a time when product ranges are changing constantly.
The latest figures take the total number of products with the labels on NZ supermarket shelves to 5900, with home brands of Foodstuffs and Countdown, and products of non-NZFGC members making up the difference.
About the system
The Health Star Rating system was introduced in 2014 to help consumers make healthier food choices by weighing up the overall nutritional benefits of packaged foods.
It was designed by nutritionists and health experts to cut through the confusion and give people nutritional information at a glance. Foods with more stars are healthier than similar foods with fewer stars – however, stars are not intended to be used to compare different types of foods.
In November 2022, it was enhanced after a 2019 review found it was performing well, and suggested improvements to better reflect dietary guidelines.
Key changes include lower ratings for products with high levels of sugar and salt – including sugary breakfast cereals and fruit juices – and automatic 5-star ratings for minimally processed fruit and vegetables.
The Health Star Rating system remains voluntary – and there is no government charge to use it – but if uptake by manufacturers does not meet a 70% target by 2025, government will consider making the system mandatory.
Uptake monitoring will next be done in November 2023 to assess progress against an interim government target of 50% of intended products displaying the stars.
The first count by MPI for uptake will take place at the end of next year, by when it is hoped to have reached 40% of eligible foods carrying the labels.