1 July 2025
Confusion as South Australia declares war on soy milk and rice cakes
In a bold move that has left nutritionists scratching their heads, the South Australian Government has today officially banned the advertising of most fortified soy milk and rice cakes on public transport.
The reason? Apparently, these humble pantry staples are considered by the South Australian Government to be ‘junk food’ and are now officially banned from being advertised on government assets.
AANA CEO Josh Faulks said the policy has left the industry and the public confused and has called on the Government to adopt a science-based objective approach to its advertising ban.
“We fully support measures that encourage healthier choices, but the implementation of these policies must be based on credible, evidence-based criteria,” Faulks said.
“The government has not been able to clearly articulate what is in and what is out of their banned list and has told businesses to submit their ads to an expert panel for assessment if they are unsure. This list should be science-based, objective and create certainty for business, not create more confusion.”
“The policy sends a contradictory message to consumers and undermines trust in health-based initiatives. The government is effectively discouraging people from consuming what are widely considered to be nutritious core foods,” he said.
The AANA is urging the South Australian government to adopt the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criteria to improve clarity, consistency, and alignment with national nutrition policies. This tool was developed by FSANZ which is an independent statutory agency established by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 and is part of the Australian Government’s Health portfolio. All State and territory jurisdictions are subject to the food regulations in the FSANZ Code.
The AANA also pointed out the serious unintended consequences for local businesses, farmers, and advertisers in South Australia.
“The oat and almond farmers in South Australia may be surprised to know that their government wants people to drink less oat and almond milk. The official policy objective is to drive down purchase and consumption of these products,” Faulks said.
The AANA urges the South Australian Government to engage with industry stakeholders and adopt a practical, consistent and science-backed approach that creates certainty for business and genuinely supports public health without compromising economic activity.
Read the South Australian advertising policy here.
Read the FAQs to the policy here.
Read the implementation guide here.
Food and Beverage Advertising Rules in Australia
Australia has some of the strictest rules around food and beverage advertising in the world, with high levels of compliance. These rules effectively ban advertising of unhealthy food to children and are designed to encourage the promotion of healthy eating.
Australia’s Food and Beverage Advertising Code is recognised as one of the most restrictive in the world. The Code includes a ban on marketing unhealthy food or beverages to children. It applies to all advertising, across all media channels, at all times of the day.