UPF regulation too weak on systemic policies, Australian study highlights

20 January 2025

A study by three Australian universities has found that regulation on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) broadly places responsibility on consumers rather than the food industry, worldwide. The study, published on Nature Food, looked at more than 400 regulatory interventions in 105 countries and concluded that the regulatory emphasis is currently on transparency and changing consumer behaviour, rather than on changing systemic factors and the way the food industry operates. 85.9% of interventions change the food environment, with a majority directed at changes in nutrition labelling.

Ultra-processed foods are a major dietary concern linked to a higher occurrence of non-communicable diseases.

SAFE supports regulatory changes that increase transparency in labelling for consumers, but also stresses the need for a real transformation in food systems, shifting the focus from individual responsibility, to systemic accountability.

Quoted on Spanish newspaper “El País”, Tanita Northcott, the lead author of the study, compares regulation on UPFs to regulation on tobacco: “Initially, measures focused on consumer behaviour, with educational campaigns and a focus on labelling. But greater changes were achieved through systemic policies targeting industry through taxation, advertisement bans and marketing and packaging restrictions.”