The National Heart Foundation has announced it will phase out its tick health labelling program over the next 12 to 24 months, with it to be replaced by the Health Star Rating system.
National CEO Mary Barry, said the tick commenced at a time when there was little to guide healthier food choices.
“A year after tick’s launch in 1989, 31 companies had earned the Tick for 140 products. Today more than 2000 products carry the tick across 80 food categories.
“Our research has shown that over many years, the tick has been the most recognised logo on food in Australia with up to 2.8 million Australians looking for the tick every day when they shopped for food,” Barry said.
“Over the past few years, the Heart Foundation has worked with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to develop the Health Star Rating system, which was launched in December 2014.
“Since the launch, the HSR system has been well received by food manufacturers (more than 1500 products now carry the HSR) and is becoming sufficiently well established, and understood by shoppers. We feel we can now safely begin to retire the tick,” she said.
The Heart Foundation will continue to work with manufacturers who currently have the tick logo on their products as the program winds down.