Prime Minister Scott Morrison has accused Labor of wanting to interfere in people's lives by considering forcing food companies to make some of their products healthier if they win government.
The Australia government has worked with the food industry in recent years to develop voluntary targets for reducing the level of saturated fat, added sugar, sodium and energy in some foods.
But Labor revealed on Thursday it would consider making such targets for "reformulating" food recipes mandatory, as it implements a national strategy to tackle obesity.
It would also consider mandating the health star rating system, which compares the nutritional value of comparable packaged foods.
That comes as more than two thirds of adults and one quarter of children are overweight or obese.
But asked how he would feel about changes to the recipes for iconic foods such as Vegemite, Mr Morrison said the proposal is concerning.
"It goes to how Labor want to come and interfere in your lives," he told reporters in Melbourne.
"I've heard some pretty crazy policies from the Labor Party, but changing the recipe of Vegemite is a first."
The leader said avoiding such interventions into people's lives is why he's such a big supporter of tax cuts.
"Your money is better off in your hands, so you can spend it on the things that are important to you."
Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King earlier said a Labor government wouldn't move to mandate targets for making foods healthier straight away and would collaborate with industry.
"I think it does need, over time, industry to be more committed to that, but we'll have a look at mandating," she told the National Press Club on Thursday.
"At this stage it's not necessarily something we'd do straight away, but we want to work with industry on that."
Health Minister Greg Hunt said the government has been working effectively with industry to make foods healthier voluntarily.
For instance, it worked with the Australian Beverages Council on a target to reduce the sugar in drinks by 20 per cent.
"We managed to win their support, to get them to commit, and therefore to be engaged in implementing."
Labor's plans have been embraced by some groups working to tackle obesity, such as the Obesity Policy Coalition.
