Nestlé Oceania today welcomed the launch of the Federal Government’s Health Star Rating (HSR) website as an important step in helping consumers to understand the new voluntary food labelling scheme.
The first Nestlé products to carry the new HSR system will be in stores before the end of the year, with labels bearing the new nutrition labelling scheme rolling out further across the Nestlé range in 2015.
A Nestlé spokesperson said that the company had started to provide educational information to consumers and dietitians to help them understand the scheme, both online as well as through tools such brochures and wallet cards.
The company is implementing the voluntary Health Star Rating nutrition labelling scheme as part of its continuing support for the Australian and New Zealand governments’ public health agendas.
Nestlé has started to introduce its own visual on-pack portion guidance device, complementing the Health Star Rating, aimed at helping consumers understand the recommended serving size of its products in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
Nestlé said it would continue to support and use percentage Daily Intake Guides on back-of-pack nutrition information panels.
This is consistent with its global commitment to providing consumers with transparent nutrition information based on science and in a format that best helps them to make informed decisions.
About the Health Star Rating:
The Health Star Rating is a government led initiative that scores the nutritional value of packaged foods. Each product’s Health Star Rating, from ½ to 5 stars, is determined using a calculation based on energy, saturated fat, total sugars, sodium, protein and dietary fibre; as well as the fruit, vegetable, nut and legume content of the product. The more stars, the healthier the product.
About Nestlé:
Nestlé is the world’s leader in nutrition, health and wellness. Nestlé aims to improve the quality of life of consumers through healthier and tastier food and beverage choices throughout all the stages of their lives and at any time of day.
Nestlé Oceania has offices, factories and distribution centres across Australia, employing more than 4,300 people. It also employs 1300 people in the manufacturing and sales hubs of New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands.
The company produces nearly 300,000 tonnes of product in Australia each year with brands including UNCLE TOBYS, KIT KAT, NESCAFÉ and MAGGI and sources around 70 per cent of its raw materials locally.
For more information:
Anita Catalano
Nestlé Australia
M: 0406 403 397
[email protected]