Beverage Industry Engaged on Move Towards Mandating HSR

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Beverage Industry Engaged on Move Towards Mandating HSR

29 May 2026

Beverage manufacturers are actively engaged in consultation as government seeks to mandate the Health Star Rating (HSR), an important nutrition tool for consumers.  

A range of issues were discussed in a member webinar hosted today by the Australian Beverages Council Ltd (ABCL), which provided members with an opportunity to speak directly with Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). 

CEO of the ABCL, Geoff Parker, said industry is committed to participating in the consultation, providing valuable feedback to FSANZ as it develops its proposal for consideration by government.  

“The ABCL supports consumers in better understanding the nutritional value of their drinks through adoption of the HSR”, said Mr Parker.  

“Supporting better understanding of the HSR and its category-specific rating is a critical part of the move towards mandating it on front-of-packs. The tool is only as useful as consumers’ understanding of what it means.” 

ABCL members raised questions about implementation timeframes, technical considerations for beverage categories, and opportunities to improve consumer understanding of the system during today’s webinar. 

“The level of participation reflects the industry’s willingness to support this transition and help ensure it achieves government’s objective of providing Australians with a greater understanding of the food and drinks they consume,” said Mr Parker.  

“Today’s discussion highlighted the importance of getting the details right. As government considers mandating the HSR, it is essential that implementation is practical, that category-specific considerations are understood, and that consumers are equipped to interpret the ratings accurately and confidently.” 

Earlier this year, Food Ministers tasked FSANZ with preparing a proposal to mandate the HSR system in the Food Standards Code. This current consultation is the first of two rounds offering industry the opportunity to provide feedback on key points of consideration as FSANZ develops this proposal. It is anticipated that FSANZ will report back to Food Ministers in early 2027. 

For media enquiries, please get in touch with lauren@ausbev.org