What defines “healthy food”? It is a question that continues to spark debate across the media, government and among consumers. People want to eat well, yet conflicting messages about what “healthy” really means are making it harder to shift the dial on public health. With consumers increasingly seeking advice from a widening array of online sources, consistency has never been more important.
To better understand this challenge, Danone surveyed 5,000 UK adults and consulted 200 dietitians and nutritionists for its inaugural Consumed: Nutritional Behavioural Index. The findings are clear: both consumers and health professionals agree that current efforts to support healthy eating do not go far enough.
From how much dairy, protein or vegetables we should eat to confusion over processed foods, advice keeps shifting, leaving the public unsure what to trust.
The government is rightly placing greater emphasis on nutrition, but progress must continue if we are to deliver a healthier nation.
We are calling on government, industry, health experts and NGOs to work more closely together to build momentum for change.
As public expectations rise, research and innovation advance, and policy momentum grows, we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to shape a food system that supports healthier lives from birth to old age.
There is an opportunity to bring clarity and consistency to what healthy eating means for consumers, and to the long-term benefits it delivers, but policy must drive this progress rather than hold it back.
Government has a critical role in incentivising and enabling the food industry to innovate and provide healthier choices. But with this opportunity comes challenge. We are operating in a landscape noisier than ever, where advice is constantly shifting and consumers are left uncertain.
Nearly half of the consumers we surveyed for Consumed said the industry is not doing enough to support healthier choices. Two thirds want clearer guidance from government on what “healthy food” means, while health professionals tell us people need simple, consistent advice, from portion sizes to calories.
This confusing and often conflicting messaging makes it harder to understand what “healthy” really means, leaving the public on the back foot as they try to improve their diets.
Mixed messages around terms like “UPF” (ultra processed food) only add to the confusion. Without a universally accepted scientific definition, the term can inadvertently label nutrient‑rich foods as unhealthy simply because of how they’re made. Our research illustrates this clearly: while 72 per cent of adults believe processed foods are unhealthy, many still choose products enriched with fibre, protein, vitamins, or minerals – benefits that often require some level of processing. This contradiction highlights the urgent need for clear, evidence‑based guidance.
People are more aware than ever of the role diet plays in long‑term health. Nearly 75 per cent of consumers say they try to eat and drink healthily several times a week, and high fat, sugar, and salt content remain key reasons for avoiding certain products. Encouragingly, this suggests that HFFS legislation, which assesses a product’s healthiness based on its ingredients, is beginning to influence consumer behaviour.
The NHS 10‑Year Health Plan prioritises illness prevention and acknowledges the role a good diet plays in improving health outcomes. Alongside other recent government measures, this represents a positive step toward building a healthier nation.
For example, the government’s new Healthy Food Standard, which requires large food businesses to report on sales of healthier products, is already boosting transparency and informing future health policy. Danone has championed this change, recognising that clear, consistent reporting is essential for accountability and long-term progress.
If the UK is to improve its food system, policymaking must be consultative, iterative, and grounded in expertise. Policy should be co‑designed, bringing together government, industry, health experts, and NGOs from the outset – not after proposals are already drafted.
This requires piloting ideas, learning from the outcomes, and implementing changes gradually so businesses can adapt. We need a shared vision of success – one that remains consistent across political cycles and provides the stability necessary for long-term investment.
While 90 per cent of nutritionists feel the government is not doing enough, almost as many believe the food industry must take greater responsibility. Real progress depends on genuine partnerships to improve the nation’s diet.
In the recent Spotlight on Healthcare, I emphasised that meaningful change can only be achieved through stable, consistent policy that incentivises industry to invest in healthier products. For example, current HFSS legislation – based on the 2004/05 Nutrient Profiling Model – has guided reformulation plans, innovation pipelines, and business investment strategies for years.
Now, just as the legislation has been fully implemented, proposals to switch to a different model risk reclassifying nutrient-rich foods – such as fruit yogurts or bran cereals – as “unhealthy,” increasing consumer confusion and undermining years of progress.
It also penalises companies that have worked hard to do the right thing. Policy should build on progress, not slow it down.
Industry needs consistent parameters to invest with confidence. This requires meaningful consultation, evidence-based testing, and credible timelines that allow businesses to adapt effectively.
A food system that supports long‑term health benefits everyone. Diet-related illness now costs the NHS over £11.4bn each year, placing avoidable strain on an already stretched system and contributing to broader societal costs estimated in the tens of billions.
Poor diets reduce productivity and shorten life expectancy, reinforcing why prevention must be central to shaping the food environment.
We need a unified definition of “healthy” that works for everyone and translates policy into action.
Meaningful change will take time, but with clarity, consistency, and shared purpose, the UK can transform better information into healthier choices – and those choices into healthier lives.
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