Implementation of Changes resulting from the Health Star Rating System Five Year Review
On 19 December 2019, the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (Forum) published a response to the recommendations of the HSR Five-Year Review. The response included a request for Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to undertake a peer review of the modelling that underpinned the Review, and a request that the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC), supported by FSANZ, provide further advice in relation to:- definitions for minimally processed fruits and vegetables, and unsweetened flavoured water;
- sugars and sodium levels in the HSR Calculator; and
- interim uptake targets.
- A peer review of modelling undertaken to inform the Review Report and advice on the combined impact of all recommended changes to the Original HSR calculator, as well as providing additional modelling in relation to the reclassification and rescaling of dairy foods; and
- Additional modelling undertaken in relation to Recommendation 4 of the Review Report and the Forum’s response to the Review, relating to a proposed package of changes to the way the Health Star Rating is calculated to better align foods with dietary guidelines. Specifically in relation to Recommendations 4b and 4c, which refer to the impact of using alternative sodium and sugars points tables in the Health Star Rating calculator.
Report 1 - Review of modelling undertaken for the Health Star Rating System Five Year Review (Word 760 KB)
Report 1 - Review of modelling undertaken for the Health Star Rating System Five Year Review - Summary (PDF 311 KB)
Report 1 - Review of modelling undertaken for the Health Star Rating System Five Year Review - Summary (Word 178 KB)
Report 2 - Modelling a stronger approach to total sugars and sodium (PDF 1959 KB)
Report 2 - Modelling a stronger approach to total sugars and sodium (Word 1003 KB)
Report 2 - Modelling a stronger approach to total sugars and sodium - Summary (PDF 366 KB)
Report 2 - Modelling a stronger approach to total sugars and sodium - Summary (Word 189 KB)
The following reports developed by FRSC detail the outcomes of the assessment of a number of different approaches to the treatment of sodium and total sugars under the Health Star Rating system, and the alignment of each approach to the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Eating and Activity Guidelines for New Zealand Adults.
Modelling a stronger approach to total sugars and sodium (PDF 734 KB)
Modelling a stronger approach to total sugars and sodium (Word 57 KB)
Assessment of Health Star Rating calculator options and alignment with dietary guidelines (PDF 933 KB)
Assessment of Health Star Rating calculator options and alignment with dietary guidelines (Word 166 KB)
Stakeholder Engagement – Implementation of Recommendations from the Five Year Review
In December 2019 Ministers of the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (Forum) published their Response (below) to the Health Star Rating system five-year Review Report (below, Review Report) and its ten recommendations for enhancing the HSR system.In the Response, the Forum requested that the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC) provide further advice on a number of implementation parameters, and develop an Implementation Plan for changes to the HSR system.
In the interest of keeping stakeholders informed, and to assist FRSC in the development of its advice to the Forum, FRSC is seeking to update stakeholders, by way of providing two test calculators, and obtain feedback on the appropriateness of a proposed implementation start date of 1 October 2020.
If you wish to provide feedback to FRSC, please consider the questions in the Stakeholder Engagement Paper and provide any response to the Front-of Pack Labelling Secretariat by no later than 5 June 2020.
A number of Q & A sessions will be held via videoconference in the coming weeks (25 May – 5 June) to complement information within. If you wish to be provided with the details of these sessions once they have been confirmed, please advise the Front-of Pack Labelling Secretariat.
Stakeholder Engagement Paper (PDF 816 KB)
Stakeholder Engagement Paper (Word 55 KB)
Calculator 1: Review Recommendations (Excel 368 KB)
Calculator 2: Stronger penalties for sugars and sodium (Excel 368 KB)
Please note that the above files were updated on 21 May 2020.
Response to the Health Star Rating System Five Year Review Report
The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (Forum) have finalised their response to the five year review of the HSR system (the Review) report and its recommendations for enhancing the HSR system.Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation response to the Health Star Rating five year review (PDF 221 KB)
Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation response to the Health Star Rating five year review (Word 174 KB)
Five Year Review – Final Report
The five year review of the HSR system has now been completed. The Review considered if and how well the objectives of the system have been met. The Review found that the HSR system has been performing well. Whilst there is a broad range of stakeholders with diverse opinions, there is also strong support for the system to continue.The recommendations contained in the Review Report are designed to deliver improvements to the system, including communication, monitoring, governance and system/calculator enhancements. The key recommendations from the report are:
- the HSR system continue as a voluntary system with the addition of some specific industry uptake targets and that the Australian, state and territory and New Zealand governments support the system with funding for a further four years;
- that changes are made to the way the HSR is calculated to encourage dietary intake that is consistent with the Dietary Guidelines, and include minimally processed foods such as canned and frozen fruits and vegetables into the system; and
- that some minor changes are made to the governance of the system, including transfer of the HSR calculator to Food Standards Australia New Zealand.
Five Year Review of the Health Star Rating System (Word 16257 KB)
Five Year Review – Draft Report
A draft of the review report was made available for public comment on the Australian Department of Health’s Consultation Hub from Monday 25 February 2019 until midnight Monday 25 March 2019. Following consideration of comments received, the report was finalised and provided to the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation (through the HSRAC and the Food Regulation Standing Committee) in mid-2019. mpconsulting sought targeted feedback on the draft recommendations – in particular, any comments on inaccuracies, factual errors and additional considerations or evidence that had not previously been identified.Draft Five Year Review Report (PDF 2928 KB)
Draft Five Year Review Report (Word 21107 KB)
A list of submissions for which confidentiality was not requested is below; submissions are available on request from the Front-of-Pack Labelling Secretariat via frontofpack@health.gov.au.
List of submissions: draft five year review report (PDF 110 KB)
List of submissions: draft five year review report (Excel 13 KB)
Five Year Review – Consultation
Detail on previous opportunities to provide feedback during and on the review are available on the Stakeholder Consultation page.A public submission process for the five year review was conducted between June and August 2017. mpconsulting prepared a report on these submissions and proposed a future consultation strategy. A list of submissions made is also available.
Submissions to the five year review of the HSR system (PDF 446 KB)
Submissions to the five year review of the HSR system (Excel 23 KB)
Report on Submissions to the Five Year Review of the Health Star Rating System (PDF 736 KB)
Report on Submissions to the Five Year Review of the Health Star Rating System (Word 217 KB)
5 Year Review of the Health Star Rating system – Future Consultation Opportunities (PDF 477 KB)
5 Year Review of the Health Star Rating system – Future Consultation Opportunities (Word 28 KB)
mpconsulting also prepared a Navigation Paper to guide Stage 2 (Wider Consultations Feb-Apr 2018) of their consultation strategy.
Navigation Paper (PDF 355 KB)
Navigation Paper (Word 252 KB)
Drawing on the early submissions and public workshops conducted across Australia and New Zealand in February- April 2018, mpconsulting identified 10 key issues relating to the products on which the HSR appears and the way that stars are calculated. A range of options for addressing identified issues were identified and, where possible, mpconsulting specified its preferred option. These issues are described in the Five Year Review of the Health Star Rating System - Consultation Paper: Options for System Enhancement.
Five Year Review of the Health Star Rating System – Consultation Paper: Options for System Enhancement (PDF 944 KB)
Five Year Review of the Health Star Rating System – Consultation Paper: Options for System Enhancement (Word 430 KB)
This Consultation Paper is informed by the TAG’s in-depth review of the technical components of the system. The TAG developed a range of technical papers on various issues identified by stakeholders, available on the mpconsulting website.
From October to December 2018, mpconsulting sought stakeholder views on the issues and the options, input on the impacts of the various options, and any suggestions for alternative options to address the identified issues. Written submissions could be made via the Australian Department of Health’s Consultation Hub.
mpconsulting held three further stakeholder workshops in Melbourne, Auckland and Sydney in November 2018 to enable stakeholders to continue to provide input on key issues for the review, including on options for system enhancements.
Five Year Review – Process
In April 2016, the Health Star Rating (HSR) Advisory Committee (HSRAC) commenced planning for the five year review of the HSR system.Terms of Reference for the five year review follow:
Terms of Reference for the five year review of the Health Star Rating system (PDF 23 KB)
Terms of Reference for the five year review of the Health Star Rating system (Word 29 KB)
In September 2016, the HSRAC established a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to analyse the performance of the HSR Calculator and respond to technical issues and related matters referred to it by the HSRAC.
HSRAC Members agreed that, in order to achieve a degree of independence, consultant(s) should be engaged to complete the review. In July 2017, following an Approach to Market process, Matthews Pegg Consulting (mpconsulting) was engaged as the independent reviewer.
The timeline for the five year review.
Five year review timeline (PDF 371 KB)
Five year review timeline (Excel 14 KB)
