The 2005/4 model was developed by the Food Standards Agency as a means for the UK’s broadcast regulator, Ofcom, to identify less healthy food and drink (those high in fat, sugar or salt - HFSS).
A brief history of the less healthy food ad ban
- A ban on the advertising of HFSS products during children’s television programmes, and programmes with a high proportion of children viewers, was introduced in 2007.
- Two consultations followed, with the government publishing a formal response to HFSS advertising restrictions in 2021.
- The advertising restrictions were originally planned to come into force on 1 January 2023. However, they were postponed several times, finally coming into force this year (Jan 2026).
In 2016, the government set out it’s a plan to tackle child obesity which included a commitment to review the NPM over concerns that the original model no longer reflected current UK dietary recommendations.
Nutrient Profiling Model 2018 in a nutshell
The updated NPM 2018, which was reviewed and consulted on eight years ago, has now been published (in January 2026).
The new NPM - which is not yet in place - is designed to accommodate current dietary advice, particular related to free sugars and fibre. Specifically, it lowers the threshold on free sugars - which includes sugars naturally present in commodities such as fruit and vegetable juices.
The model applies to all food and non-alcoholic drinks and uses a scoring system whereby points are allocated on the basis of the level of each nutrient or food component in 100 grams of a food or drink.
Points are awarded for:
- ‘A’ nutrients (energy, saturated fats, free sugars and salt)
- ‘C’ nutrients or food components (protein, fibre, and fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds)
The score for ‘C’ nutrients or food components is then subtracted from the score for ‘A’ nutrients to give the final nutrient profiling score.
Foods scoring 4 or more points, and drinks scoring 1 or more points, are classified as ‘less healthy’.
‘Serious concerns’ from stakeholders
The proposals have already sparked debate, with several industry stakeholders having raised issue with the new model.
The Food and Drink Federation’s chief executive, Karen Betts, says the new NPM has moved the goalpost, making the work and investment producers have put into reformulating redundant.
“Food and drink manufacturers have made multi-million-pound investments to meet the nutrient profile model that underpins the new promotion and advertising restrictions, the latest of which only came into force in this month,” she commented.
“This includes developing new options that make it easier for consumers to swap to healthier choices. We have serious concerns that changing to the new model will mean many healthier options could no longer be promoted or advertised to consumers, which runs the risk of them being delisted by retailers.
“It also undermines investment decisions that businesses thought they were making in the longer-term, and the uncertainty is causing companies to pause investment in developing healthier products. We urge government to meet industry as soon as possible to discuss our concerns and how we can work together to help shift consumers towards healthier diets.”
Ingredient distributor and supply chain firm, the ACI Group, has also criticised the update, arguing that it ignores ‘consumption context’ and unfairly penalises whole-food products.
“Under the proposed scoring model, a smoothie packed with fruit, fibre, vitamins and polyphenols is judged using the same blunt logic as crisps,” said Jack Helm, account manager for beverage, bakery and functional foods at ACI Group.
“The system is unable to distinguish between naturally occurring sugars in fruit and added sugars in junk food, which fundamentally misrepresents how these products contribute to a balanced diet.”
ACI contends that the proposals fail to reflect how foods are actually consumed. For example, drinking a smoothie as part of a meal is treated identically to eating crisps as part of a snack.
“This lack of nuance undermines public understanding of healthy eating rather than supporting it,” Helm flagged.
He continued: “Whole-food products are penalised for naturally occurring sugars, while ultra-processed foods can game the system through sweeteners or salt manipulation to sneak under thresholds
“That creates a perverse incentive structure that runs counter to long-term public health goals.”
Whilst Helm says the encouragement of more fruit and fibre is the ‘right’ move, he warns that the proposal contradicts itself.
“The government rightly encourages people to eat more fruit and fibre. Yet at the same time, it is proposing to restrict the visibility of fruit-based products because they score poorly against its own algorithm.
“That inconsistency risks confusing consumers and eroding trust – not to mention penalising businesses who have already spent millions on reformulating their product lines, only to find their visibility will be restricted anyway because the government has moved the goalposts.”
Hailed by health activists
Meanwhile, campaign groups including Bite Back, the Obesity Health Alliance, Action on Salt & Sugar, alongside the British Dietetic Association have applauded the results.
“Updating the Nutrient Profiling Model isn’t moving the goalposts - it’s making the game fairer,” said Katharine Jenner, executive director, Obesity Health Alliance and co-chair of the NPM working group.
“This measured, long-overdue update better reflects modern dietary guidance and ensures genuinely healthier foods are recognised, and that more highly processed, high-sugar products can no longer hide behind outdated definitions.”
Lindsey Marston, policy and campaign manager for the British Dietetic Association agreed: “Updating the model in line with the latest science is an important step forward. It helps close loopholes and ensures our approach reflects current nutrition evidence.
She concluded: “This clarity strengthens efforts to improve our overall food environment. Crucially, it supports healthier options coming more to the forefront. We’re excited to see this progress shaping a healthier future.”
