FDF CALLS FOR PAUSE ON NUTRIENT PROFILING CHANGES

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has called for a pause on proposed changes to the UK’s Nutrient Profiling Model, warning that the revisions could undermine ongoing investment in healthier product development across the bakery and wider food sector.

The industry body argues that manufacturers have spent years and significant financial resources reformulating products to reduce sugar, salt and calories, while also increasing fibre and improving overall nutritional profiles. These efforts have been central to a broader shift across the bakery category, where brands have increasingly focused on “better-for-you” innovation to meet both regulatory expectations and changing consumer demand.

However, the FDF has raised concerns that adjustments to the Nutrient Profiling Model could unintentionally reverse some of this progress. It warns that revised scoring criteria may reclassify certain products, including those that have been reformulated to be healthier, as less favourable under the updated system. This, in turn, could have implications for advertising restrictions, in-store promotion, and even product listings with major retailers.

According to the FDF, this uncertainty risks dampening confidence in future innovation. It suggests that companies may become more cautious about investing in new healthier bakery products if there is a possibility they could later be penalised under changing assessment criteria. The organisation has therefore urged policymakers to pause implementation and engage further with industry to ensure the model supports, rather than discourages, continued reformulation progress.

Instead of immediate changes to the profiling system, the FDF has pointed to alternative approaches such as greater transparency and reporting on the sales of healthier products, which it believes could better track progress without disrupting investment cycles.

The debate comes at a time when the bakery and wider food manufacturing sectors are continuing to adapt to health-driven trends, balancing indulgence with nutrition, and navigating increasing scrutiny from both regulators and consumers.