Health Star Ratings “increasingly popular with shoppers”
Independent monitoring conducted by the National Heart Foundation has found the Health Star Rating System is increasingly popular with shoppers.
The Heart Foundation found that more than three in five Australians who brought a product with a Health Star rating (HSR) said it influenced their purchasing choice.
One in two shoppers said they had brought a product they normally would not because of the HSR.
“Australians trust the HSR to inform healthy food choices”
The Chair of the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation, the Assistant Minister for Health, Dr David Gillespie, said the findings showed Australians trust the HSR system to inform healthy food choices.
“They understand it. And, more and more, they’re using it to inform their choice of food products when they walk along the supermarket aisle,” Minister Gillespie said.
At least 150 companies are now using the HSR system with more than 8, 400 supermarket products displaying a HSR.
Most Australians find HSR easy to understand finds study
The survey found most Australians (74 per cent) find the HSR easy to understand and 75 per cent find it easy to use.
The study findings were based off an online survey which was answered by 2, 500 shoppers. The HSR was first implemented three years ago.
In a release, the Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation said the Heart Foundation’s findings showed that the HSR is being adopted as a natural part of Australia’s food buying behaviour.
“The findings also indicate the food industry’s uptake of and adherence to the system and its guidance documents,” the release said.
Five-year review of HSR underway
The forum said the implementation of HSR has been progressing well but said there is always room for improvement.
“The formal five year review of the Health Star Rating system is currently underway. The Ministerial Forum encourages stakeholders to participate in consultations and looks forward to receiving the report of the independent review in 2019,” the forum said in its statement.
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