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Brands should partner to recategorise their UPF products

Processed brands should strive to shift their products from NOVA group 4 to NOVA 3 wherever possible,” says the president of The Non-UPF Program.

Increasingly, UPFs make up a significant part of the global food supply. UPFs now account for the majority of energy intake in some countries. UPFs account for almost 75% of the US food supply, for instance, with more than 60% of the calories the average American child consumes coming from UPFs.

“Global food systems must recognise that the rapid rise of UPFs is not a neutral dietary shift, but a documented displacement of long-established eating patterns built around fresh and minimally processed foods, and cultural staples,” Melissa Halas, president of The Non-UPF Program, told Ingredients Network.

UPFs displace whole foods, fibre, phytonutrients, water content, food matrix effects and satiety properties. By contrast, minimally processed foods naturally integrate these beneficial features without requiring complex processing or additives. What is needed?

“A food system reform that privileges minimally processed foods supports both better dietary quality and meaningful public understanding of food choices,” said Halas.

Reducing UPFs and winning customers

The big challenge for manufacturers and marketers is how to reduce UPFs in their portfolios while still appealing to consumers.

“Collaborate with those bringing awareness,” Halas said. Cross-sector collaboration to educate manufacturers and drive change is at the core of communicating UPFs in a way that appeals to consumers and helps overcome misunderstandings among manufacturers.

Shoppers want snacks made with real ingredients, minimally processed staples, regenerative agriculture practices, less packaging waste and support for farmers.

“Consumers are growing increasingly distrustful of engineered foods and unclear labels,” Halas added.

Numerous countries and institutions are moving to include UPF reduction in their dietary guidelines. “This isn’t about perfection; it’s about partnering to shift foods from NOVA 4 to NOVA 3 wherever possible, and elevating whole foods and minimally processed culinary staples,” Halas added.

Using the NOVA classification system, scientists categorise foods by how much they have been processed. Groups 1-3 recognise products that are unprocessed/minimally processed, processed culinary ingredients, and processed, respectively. Group 4 represents UPFs.

Calling for a system change

To change the prevalence UPFs have in our global food systems, leaders, initiatives and food and beverage players need to understand eating habits and the influences that shape them, according to Halas.

“Our whole system needs to change, to reassert the value of minimally processed and whole foods and redesign environments so those foods are the default, affordable and transparent choices,” Halas added.

The Non-UPF Program certification scheme was extended to the entire industry in November 2025. The programme aims to create transparency and flip the current norm, encouraging shoppers to fill 70% of their carts with whole and minimally processed foods, rather than ultra-processed ones, through certification, education and collaboration.

“Currently, our food systems structurally incentivise UPFs,” said Halas.

According to the World Bank’s 2025 report on Reshaping the Agrifood Sector for Healthier Diets, agrifood public support is heavily skewed toward commodities such as grains, meats and sugar. In turn, these raw materials drive UPF production.

Front-of-pack labels to warn about UPFs?

Adopting labels that indicate the presence of food substitutes is a consideration. “Prioritising a nutrient label or slight reformulation does not address the core concern, which is the pervasive industrial processing that replaces real food with engineered substitutes,” Halas said. “We need front-of-label warnings for sugar, sodium and saturated fat.”

Promotional and marketing activities that stop promoting flavour and shelf life, which often mask poor-quality ingredients through additives and industrial processes, are a main priority for the Non-UPF Program. A new approach that reflects this is especially important when creating products marketed towards children.

“We want transparent, processing-based classification systems built on NOVA to help consumers understand the difference between UPF and non-UPF foods,” said Halas.