Activities

Improve the composition of the food supply

This activity will consider ways to make the food supply healthier in Australia and New Zealand.

Activity type:
Healthy food supply
Status:
Active

Aim

Explore policy options to improve the composition and healthfulness of the food supply in Australia and New Zealand.

Leads

On behalf of the Food Regulation Standing Committee (FRSC), the leads for this activity are the:

Authorisation

The food ministers agreed at their August 2019 meeting to progress work on industrially-produced trans fats and sugar sweetened beverages as case studies to improve the food supply and help reduce chronic disease related to overweight and obesity. 

Status

Sugar sweetened beverages

Issues analysis is underway which considers consumption data across populations and sub-populations, sugary drink market characteristics in Australia, New Zealand and internationally, and relevant existing policies and programs.

Industrially produced trans fats

FRSC is currently summarising consultation submissions and undertaking a cost-benefit analysis to develop a decision regulation impact statement for industrially-produced trans fats with a preferred policy option for the food ministers. 

Completed consultation on trans fats

FRSC drafted a policy paper to explore: 

  • current industrially-produced trans fats consumption and contribution to chronic disease
  • actions underway to reduce industrially-produced trans fats
  • proposed actions to eliminate or reduce industrially-produced trans fats in Australia and New Zealand. 

A consultation on trans fats was held between 4 August to 29 September 2023. The submissions will inform a decision regulation impact statement. 

Completed policy paper

As part of this activity, FRSC developed a policy paper that explored: 

  • current key nutrient intakes in Australia and New Zealand
  • the foods or food categories that are major contributors of those nutrients
  • potential food categories or nutrients that would improve population health
  • current voluntary approaches in Australia and New Zealand
  • international approaches that have been implemented.

It identified 2 possible case studies for improving the composition of the food supply:

  • trans fats
  • sugar sweetened beverages.

Related information

View all the activities related to healthy food supply. 

Date last updated: