Few areas of food and drink manufacturing remain untouched by reformulation. From HFSS (High Fat Sugar Salt) restrictions in the UK to front-of-pack labelling systems like Europe’s voluntary Nutri-Score system, regulation is redefining how products can be marketed and displayed. Add to this growing consumer demand for lower sugar, healthier options, cleaner labels and sustainably sourced ingredients that reshape supply chains and production.
As the food industry faces mounting pressure to reduce its environmental impact while improving nutritional content, reformulation and responsible sourcing have become essential strategies for building more sustainable food systems. Health and sustainability are no longer separate goals, they are two sides of the same coin, driving innovation forward.
The challenge is evolving. Today, it’s not simply about reformulating for health or labelling compliance; instead, we must do this in ways that preserve consumer appeal, meet company sustainability targets, and protect margins. And while taste remains critical, it’s mouthfeel – the texture, sensation and structure of food – that shapes how taste is perceived and whether a product feels satisfying, and worth buying again.
Regulation meets reality
In the UK, HFSS rules are already in play, restricting the positioning of high-fat, sugar, and salt products in prime store locations such as aisle ends and checkouts and online, with bans on multibuy offers (including ‘buy one get one free’) which came into effect from 1 October 2025 (although Labour has promised to repeal these rules if they remain in power).
These regulations have particularly affected bakery and snacking categories, where traditional recipes did not meet these new standards. Across Europe, Nutri-Score is guiding consumer choice with an at-a-glance A to E system – and more markets are moving in this direction.
The result? Reformulation is now a commercial imperative – but the stakes are high. Alter the texture of a favourite product and consumers notice. A yoghurt that feels thin, or a biscuit that is too crumbly or dry, risks rejection, no matter how strong its health credentials.
The underestimated role of mouthfeel
Mouthfeel is the unsung hero of reformulation and taste. Research shows it plays a critical role in perceptions of quality, indulgence and even healthfulness. A creamy yoghurt can feel more nourishing, a crunchy bar more satisfying, and a slow-melting ice cream more indulgent – even when sugar or fat content is reduced.
This creates a paradox for developers: the very ingredients reduced to improve nutritional profiles such as sugar, fat, salt – are also those that drive desirable textures. Replacing them without losing the feel consumers expect has become a technical art form.
Industry strategies emerging
At Tate & Lyle, we’re working with manufacturers to approach this challenge in several ways:
- Reformulation: Gradually reducing sugar or fat over time so consumers adapt without a sudden change in texture or taste.
- Ingredient innovation: Using fibres, proteins and starches to replicate viscosity, creaminess or crunch without relying on traditional fat and sugar systems. We partnered with a manufacturer to cut sugar by 25% and fat by 50% in their ice cream, using citrus and corn fibre to preserve creaminess and slow melting, delivering indulgent taste without compromise.
- Texture-first design: Building products around sensory experiences – for example, layered formats that combine crispness with chewiness – to engage consumers even when recipes shift. We worked with a customer to bring more crunch to gluten-free snacks, using functional starches and chickpea flour to achieve a crisp bite despite the absence of gluten.
Notably, younger consumers such as Gen Z actively seek new textural experiences, from multi-layered snacks to aerated drinks. For them, reformulation can even deliver novelty and discovery, demonstrating that compliance doesn’t have to mean compromise.
Lessons from the bakery aisle
Bakery offers a clear illustration of this dynamic. Cakes, biscuits and pastries are among the most affected categories under HFSS restrictions. Reformulating them is complex: sugar and fat don’t only provide sweetness and indulgence, they also give structure, crumb and moisture.
UK based consumer research from GlobalData (Bakery & Cereals – Market assessment and forecasts to 2026, May 2022) suggests that while many still see bakery as an indulgence, two-thirds would prefer their favourite products to be reformulated to reduce HFSS levels rather than disappear from prime store positions. This indicates both pressure and opportunity: consumers are open to change – but not at the expense of enjoyment.
Approaches being trialled across the market include fibre enrichment in bars to support ‘high in fibre’ claims, plant-based formulations to address concern around sustainability, and clean-label starch systems to maintain softness and moisture while meeting simple, consumer-friendly labelling requirements.
Compliance as competitive advantage
The idea that regulation is purely a burden is outdated. Manufacturers are actively making efforts to meet HFSS, Nutri-Score and sugar-reduction targets, while delivering satisfying textures and finding new ways to differentiate. Rather than a compromise, compliance becomes a marker of innovation and trust.
What’s changing isn’t just the end goal, but how companies get there. Reformulation is no longer just a technical fix, it’s becoming part of a wider shift toward purpose-led innovation, where health, sustainability and sensory experience are designed together from the start.
Consumers will continue to demand healthier and more transparent products – but they won’t trade away sensory satisfaction. The brands that succeed will be those that treat texture as a strategic priority, engineering reformulation not only to meet regulation, but to feel good to eat.
Regulation is unlikely to ease. The future of reformulation lies in creating healthier products that meet the rules, and while recipes must evolve, the essence of enjoyment need not.
