The food industry has missed its deadline for voluntarily displaying health star ratings on 70 per cent of its products, with a little over half that number taking part in the voluntary scheme, according to new research.
Health ministers will meet next year and decide whether or not to make the system mandatory for all packaged food, something public health experts say is overdue.
The ratings were meant to help consumers understand the nutritional value of foods at a quick glance. They are most effective when comparing similar products, like different brands of yoghurts, pasta sauces or cereals.
The government initiative has been voluntary since it was introduced 10 years ago and the food industry has resisted putting them on many common products, particularly those that might attract low ratings.
A sample of products that don't currently display health star ratings. (ABC News: Wayne Hammond)
In 2020, the federal government directed the food industry to print star ratings on 70 per cent of intended products by November 14, threatening to make them compulsory if the target was not met.
Uptake was more like 37 per cent, according to the Georg
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