Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) CEO Josh Faulks said the decision has left industry and consumers baffled and called for a more science-based, objective framework.

“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.”

He warned the policy could backfire by sending “a contradictory message to consumers” and undermining trust in health-based campaigns.

“The Government is effectively discouraging people from consuming what are widely considered to be nutritious core foods,” he said.

To address the growing uncertainty, the AANA has urged the South Australian Government to adopt the Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criteria developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), an independent federal agency that guides national food standards.

The agency’s criteria are already used to inform food labelling and health claims across all Australian states and territories.

Faulks also raised concerns about the policy’s potential economic fallout.

“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,” he said.

“The official policy objective is to drive down purchase and consumption of these products.”