UK consumers are being asked to share their views on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) as part of a new project intended to help shape research and policy.
Commissioned by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) with support from its Sciencewise programme, the year-long project started in January and is billed as the first in-depth deliberative dialogue to focus specifically on UPFs. It sees a diverse group of people share comments on what they think about UPFs, including how they affect our health as well as governance and regulation.
Where people get their information and who they trust are also being explored by the public dialogue, which is being carried out by Hopkins Van Mil with results evaluated by URSUS Consulting. An oversight group made up of representatives from academia, government, industry and non-governmental organisations is advising on the dialogue and its progress.
Findings at the end of 2025 are to be brought together with existing evidence on public perceptions of UPFs to help UKRI identify and address gaps in knowledge and develop future research priorities. Results will also be made available to government and wider stakeholders and will feed into work currently underway to create a new National Food Strategy – this will be centred around food security, health, the environment, and the economy.
“Food matters to everyone in society, and we know that UPFs are a major component of modern diets,” commented Dr Riaz Bhunnoo, associate director of UKRI’s Global Food Security Programme. “It is therefore vital that we include public perspectives in our approach to research on UPFs.
“This new dialogue will explore some of the complexities around how people view UPFs and their place in our food system and we hope that as a result, future research into UPFs will better respond to peoples’ experiences and priorities,” Dr Bhunnoo added.
With no single universally agreed definition for UPFs, confusion has arisen surrounding categorisation of certain product types. Several bakery items such as sliced breads, buns, cakes, and biscuits are considered by some as UPFs, although these include the likes of wholemeal bread which have obvious nutritional value. The topic is complex, note industry experts, with Federation of Bakers chief executive Andrew Pyne arguing against the demonisation of wrapped bread and Campden BRI head of product innovation Mike Adams saying the focus should be on the ingredients rather than the process.
Previous research has found that UK consumers are increasingly eating foods high in fats, sugar, and salt (HFSS), which is linked to rising rates of obesity and poor health. The UK population ranks among the worst in Europe for obesity levels and is one of the biggest consumers of UPFs.
Among the ways the government is attempting to combat this is through restrictions on advertising of HFSS foods and drinks, with new rules set to come into effect on 1 October. The Advertising Standards Authority recently kicked off a month-long consultation on how these restrictions will be applied.
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