New Regulations Could Label Fruit-Flavored Yoghurts as ‘Unhealthy’
A proposed crackdown on junk food by the Labour government could lead to fruit being removed from yoghurts and classified as ‘unhealthy’ due to its natural sugar content. This has raised concerns among manufacturers, who argue that the changes could have unintended consequences for consumers.
Under the new proposals, dairy products containing mashed or pureed fruit may be categorized alongside ultra-processed foods because of their natural sugars. This means that plain yoghurt would be considered nutritious, but adding fruit could result in it being deemed ‘unhealthy’, despite the added fibre and nutrients. In contrast, yoghurts that use artificial sweeteners for flavoring would not be affected by these rules.
Manufacturers such as Danone are reportedly worried about the potential impact of these changes, which are still under consultation. They fear that they may need to reformulate their recipes or even remove healthy products from supermarket shelves. There are also concerns that the regulations could lead to higher prices for consumers.
Earlier this year, it was reported that tomatoes could be removed from pasta sauces as another unexpected consequence of the same crackdown on junk food. Stuart Machin, chief executive of Marks & Spencer, described the plans as ‘nonsensical’. He stated that the proposed changes ‘encourage us to remove fruit purees from yoghurts or tomato paste from pasta sauces and replace them with artificial sweeteners’.
A representative from Mars Food & Nutrition, which produces Dolmio pasta sauces, warned that the rules could have ‘unintended consequences for consumers, such as vegetable and fruit purees and pastes being replaced with ingredients of lower nutrient density’.
If fruit yoghurts are impacted by the crackdown, they would also be subject to the 9pm advertising watershed on junk food. Enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority, these restrictions apply to 13 categories of food and drink products considered to contribute to poor diets and rising childhood obesity.
Ministers claim the measures are aimed at reducing the constant commercial pressure on children to consume unhealthy food. Evidence suggests that advertising plays a significant role in shaping eating habits from a young age, influencing what children ask for and when they eat.
A spokesperson for Danone North Europe said while the company supports moves to improve public health, there are fears that the new proposals may have ‘unintended consequences for consumers’. Yeo Valley Organic added that the crackdown may be ‘counter-intuitive’ and risks treating naturally nutritious products, like yoghurts, in the same way as junk food.
Nestlé is still evaluating the plans, which are under consultation and have not yet come into effect. If they do, some of its Ski yoghurts could be affected.
Dr Judith Bryans of the Dairy UK trade body warned that dairy products may be particularly badly penalised by the new system. She stated: ‘Now there will be yet more pressure on dairy companies to reformulate and the UK Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) risks shaping consumer perception away from healthy foods like yogurt or milk-based drinks, towards foods that the model favours but contain empty calories and little meaningful nutrition – for example a pot of jelly or a sugar-free fizzy drink.’
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘As part of the 10-Year Health Plan, this government is committed to supporting parents to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. The current system is based on a nutrient profiling model more than 20 years old, which does not reflect modern dietary advice, which is why we have consulted on updating it. Since 2015, guidance has been clear that children should eat less free sugar and more fibre. The updated model reflects this and better balances beneficial nutrients against salt, sugar and saturated fat.’
