Government opens consultation on strengthening Nutrient Profiling Model

As part of its ambition to create the healthiest generation of children, and turn the tide on childhood obesity rates, the Government is proposing to apply an updated Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) to existing advertising and promotions regulations.

The consultation portal and questions can be accessed here.

The new Nutrient Profiling Model, based on the latest dietary recommendations, looks at the healthiness of food and drinks based on their balance of nutrients – calories, salt, saturated fat, protein and fibre – and in particular free sugars which are added to products or released during food processing.

Adopting the new model will mean some products often marketed as healthier but which contain free sugars – such as certain sweetened cereals and fruit yoghurts – are now considered ‘less healthy’ and could be in scope of the restrictions if they are also part of a category of concern to childhood obesity. 

The Government expects that applying the new NPM to junk food advertising and volume price restrictions could lead to 110,000 fewer cases of childhood obesity and up to 520,000 fewer cases of adult obesity in the long term. 

Fran Bernhardt, Commercial Determinants Co-ordinator at Sustain says:

"The Nutrient Profiling Model has been crucial for progress on children's health. By allowing us to differentiate between healthier and less healthy foods and drinks, it's been the cornerstone of several successful policies. One of its key strengths is its simplicity - it's easy for businesses and policymakers to use and understand, and that must be preserved as the model is updated.

“Opening this consultation is a welcome step, as unanswered questions remain around how to implement these changes. We urge the government to work closely with experts to ensure the necessary data and guidance are in place, so the updated NPM can continue - and strengthen - its role in safeguarding children's health."

The consultation builds on ongoing collaboration with industry to ensure we can collectively improve children's diets. It invites views on how and when the new NPM should be used, the guidance businesses will need, and the timeline for implementation.

Childhood obesity remains stubbornly high, with more than one in three children aged 10–11 living with overweight or obesity, and rates in deprived areas more than double those in more affluent communities. Obesity not only places a significant strain on the future health of a child but also costs the NHS billions of pounds to treat.

The rules do not ban the sale of products; they simply stop the relentless pressure of advertising and promotions for foods high in free sugars, salt and saturated fat.

NOTES 

• A ban on junk food advertising before 9pm on television and online at any time was introduced in January. The ban on volume price promotions for less healthy food and drinks was introduced last year along with restrictions on where products are placed in supermarkets.
• This government will introduce mandatory healthier food reporting for all large companies. New targets will also be set to increase the healthiness of sales. ​The next step will be a consultation in Spring 2026.  
• Free sugars are sugars added to foods plus those naturally present in syrups, honey, and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, purees and pastes.
• This includes more desserts and foods that parents may mistakenly think are healthier options, such as some sweetened breakfast cereals and fruit-flavoured yoghurts marketed to children.
• Only products that score above the line on the NPM and fall into one of the categories of food and drink in the regulations would fall into the “less healthy” category.
• Soft drinks including fruit juices and smoothies that do not contain added sugar are not in scope of the restrictions and will not be classed as ‘less healthy’ by the policy.
• Yoghurts with no added sugar pass the new Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM).
• Free sugars should make up no more than 5% of energy intake but most children are consuming double that and less than one in ten children meets the recommendation.
• 90% of children are not consuming enough fibre.
• Since 2015, UK dietary advice has been clear – children should be eating less free sugar and more fibre – and the new NPM reflects this.
• More four and five-year-olds are classed as obese than ever before and tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admission for children aged five to nine-years old.