The Health Star Rating (HSR) Advisory Committee has been reappraising the form of the food (‘as prepared’) rules of the HSR system. Following stakeholder workshops on options to resolve concerns raised with these rules, a final decision was referred to Australian and New Zealand Ministers with responsibility for food regulation.
On 29 June 2018, Ministers agreed to limit the application of the HSR system to the product ‘as sold.’ That is, the HSR should be calculated and displayed on the basis of the product as it appears on the shelf. Specific exemptions will apply for products which must be rehydrated with water, diluted with water, drained of water or drained of brine. This decision will be implemented alongside and in the context of the recommendations of the five year review.
