Salt in Australian food: are voluntary targets enough?

Australia asks food companies to voluntarily reduce sodium, sugar and saturated fat in selected foods. Changing the recipe is called reformulation. There has been progress: by June 2024, 81% of participating products met their sodium target, up from 68% at baseline.

But the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimated that the recipe changes reduced sodium intake by just 14.8 mg per person per day, about half of 1% of total intake. Reach is one reason. Participating products made up only 12% of estimated dietary sodium, and many already met the targets before reformulation began. These are sales-based estimates, not measured changes in everyone's diet or proof of fewer heart attacks. An independent supermarket study also found limited progress, especially for saturated fat. Our view: broader coverage, stronger targets and independent reporting, with mandatory limits considered if progress stays inadequate. For now, compare sodium per 100 g between similar foods, alongside price.