The Australian Beverages Council fully supports the Health Star Rating (HSR) system and has been actively involved in its creation, implementation, performance and review since inception.

The HSR is designed to provide key information that allows consumers to make at-a-glance comparisons of products within the same category. Further nutrient information is also available in the Nutrition Information Panel on food packaging.

In a recent survey of our Members, it was found that 70 per cent of non-alcoholic beverage products in Australia display the Health Star Rating (using the integrated approach). A wealth of research has shown consumers understand, support and value the scheme.

The Australian Beverages Council supports the ongoing review of the HSR and is actively engaged in the current formal review of the system after five years of implementation (June 2014 to June 2019). Further information about the review can be found here.

Health Star Rating Five-Year Review and How it Impacts Beverages

Prior to the HSR Five-Year Review, ratings could appear on pack as the energy icon only, stars-on-pack rating plus additional specific nutrient content of the product.

The 2020 changes to the system now mean that the energy icon only graphic is no longer compliant with the HSR system. Beverage manufacturers are transitioning to the stars-on-pack graphic and may choose to include the specific nutrient content information also. For more information on the changes to the system, visit our Member Portal or the HSR website.

What does the Health Star Rating mean?

Under the system, packaged foods are given a star rating based on their nutritional profile. This includes:

• Energy (kilojoules).
• Risk nutrients – saturated fat, sodium (salt) and sugars.
• Positive nutrients – dietary fibre, protein and the proportion of fruit, vegetable, nut and legume content.