Health Star Ratings
Health Star Ratings is a voluntary front-of-pack labelling system adopted by New Zealand and Australia in 2014 for packaged foods.
Health Star Ratings rate the healthiness of packaged food from half a star to five stars. Foods lower in saturated fat, sugar or sodium, and/or higher in fibre, protein, nut, legume, fruit or vegetable content have higher star ratings.
Health Star Ratings provide a quick easy way for shoppers to choose healthier packaged foods. Shoppers can use the health stars to compare similar types of packaged foods, for example breakfast cereals with other breakfast cereals, or muesli bars with muesli bars.
Health Star Ratings are calculated by food manufacturers using an algorithm-based calculator.
Most manufacturers have undertaken to put Health Star Ratings on their entire product ranges (including private labels or own brand products). Over time, there will be more packaged foods displaying Health Stars as packaging is updated and stock in stores is replenished.
Health Star Ratings apply to packaged foods as these are the foods consumers have the most difficulty with making healthier choices. Health Stars are one tool to help consumers make healthier food choices.
The Ministry for Primary Industries administers the Health Star Rating system in New Zealand.
The Health Promotion Agency is working with the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ministry of Health on the consumer awareness campaign, which rolled out in March 2016. See below for campaign materials and details.
What can I do?
What can I do?
Include information in your newsletters so your network knows about Health Star Ratings. A suggested article is provided below.
Below are the YouTube campaign videos that can you link to. Alternatively you can embed the videos into your website using this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lgo_uaLUKg&index=6&list=PLFuNzCi2KRzdSH...
Web tiles are also available below for download.
Consumer campaign materials
What's New
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Translated infant feeding resources
Free to order -
New Te Reo sugary drinks posters
Free to download -
HPA nutrition and physical activity toolkit
Free to download
Other information available
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Health Star Rating fact sheet
Ministry for Primary Industries Website
New Zealand consumer information about Health Star Ratings
Health Star Rating monitoring and evaluation: Year one follow-up research report
January 2017
Health Star Rating webinar
How Star Ratings - How they are calculated
Using Health Stars to choose healthier packaged foods