Upcoming changes to the government’s Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) are jeopardising the positive progress made from healthier product development, the Food and Drink Federation has warned.
Consultation ends next week on the implementation of the updated model known as NPM 2018, used to classify which items are considered high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) and thus coming under in-store promotion and advertising restrictions.
However, the FDF noted the changes to the NPM – in particular, that it now covers free sugars naturally present in syrups, honey, unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, purées, and pastes – will prevent many of the healthier products developed over several years and at great costs from being able to be advertised to shoppers.
The trade body is now calling on the government to pause plans for application of the NPM 2018, and instead bringing forward at pace other proposals to make reporting of healthier foods sales mandatory across the food sector. This would require manufacturers to publish standardised, consistent data, creating a transparent way of measuring progress towards healthier diets across companies and sales, it said, adding that the scheme should be extended to hospitality venues too.
New data from analysis of a survey of FDF members, as published in its latest Shaping a Healthier Future report, found their product ranges contained on average 18% less salt, 19% less sugar, and 17% fewer calories than those they made five years ago. As a result, the NPM overall score of these items had decreased by 13% since 2021 (the lower the score, the healthier).
“Food and drink manufacturers are committed to supporting consumers make healthier choices which will help improve diets,” commented Kate Halliwell, chief scientific officer at the FDF. “They’ve invested hundreds of millions of pounds over many years in changing products that shoppers know and love to make them healthier as well as appealing to shoppers. And this latest data shows that tremendous positive progress continues to be made.”
Government support is now needed to take it to the next level, expressed Halliwell. “Maintaining a stable regulatory environment will give businesses the confidence they need to keep making investments in the development of healthier products. The UK is already a world leader in healthier product innovation, and bringing in mandatory reporting on healthier food sales would help to incentivise businesses of all sizes to go further, and build momentum on supporting healthier diets,” she added.
Premier Foods leads the way
One of the manufacturers highlighted by the FDF in its report was Premier Foods, which took three years of testing and development to launch the Mr Kipling Delicious & Light range in 2022. This included Bramley Apple Pies, Bramley Apple & Blackcurrant Pies, Angel Slices, and Chocolate Slices, which contain 30% less sugar, lower fat and salt, real fruit, and up to ten times more fibre than standard versions.
The St Albans-headquartered business has now voluntarily reported on sales from its healthier products, matching the ambition that the government has for all large-scale food suppliers. The new metrics are based on those proposed by the Food Data Transparency Partnership, and developed through a Department for Health and Social Care Working Group.
It forms part of its 2025/26 Annual Report, published last week and showcasing further progress against its Enriching Life Plan sustainability strategy, such as major investments in renewable energy infrastructure (including the £2.1m solar farm at its Carlton Bakery site), lower-carbon manufacturing, and healthier food innovation.
A “biggest ever year” for the Mr Kipling brand helped lift Premier Foods trading profit over £200m in its most recent financial results for the 52 weeks ended 28 March 2026.
No comments yet