UK baby food market saturated with high sugar, low-nutrient products, researchers warn

The UK’s commercial baby food market is rife with sugar-laden and low-nutrient products, often disguised by misleading on-pack messaging, according to new research by the University of Leeds. The authors are calling for urgent government regulation to address outdated standards and improve infant health outcomes.

The report, Commercial Baby Foods in Crisis, assessed 632 products marketed for babies and toddlers under the age of three. The year-long study also surveyed more than 1,000 parents and conducted focus groups to gauge consumer perception.

Lead researcher Dr. Diane Threapleton from the School of Food Science and Nutrition says the findings reveal a “market packed with low quality products where poor nutrition is often masked by misleading names and on-pack messaging.”

“Babies and toddlers are in a period of rapid and important growth, and good nutrition is needed to support their development,” she emphasizes. “It is therefore critical that commercial products are nutritious options, not laden with sugar. Voluntary guidelines are often ineffective, and so regulation is needed to make sure that change happens.”

Sugar-laden baby foods

The researchers used the World Health Organization’s Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model to analyze baby foods, including pouches, tray meals, and snacks. 

The analysis found that over half of snack products contained added sugars, 41% of main meals were deemed too sweet, and 89% of fruit-based purees would warrant a “high sugar” warning under international guidelines.

The majority of baby foods were found to be high in sugar, misleadingly labeled, and low in nutrition.“Commercial baby foods are often highly pureed,” says Threapleton. “When the main ingredients are fruit, this poses a particular problem because the sugar that would be contained within the food matrix becomes readily available in the mouth. This strengthens preferences for sugary foods and exposes teeth to high levels of sugar.”

Additionally, 21% of ready-to-eat fruit products, cereals, and meals were considered too watery to provide adequate nutrition. Many products also use spouted pouches, which account for 38% of the baby food market, but nearly half lacked a warning against direct consumption via the spout.

Parents’ reliance on these products is widespread. Nearly half (47%) say they use commercial baby foods “always” or “most of the time.” Yet 56% report struggling to identify healthier options, and seven in ten support front-of-pack warning labels for high sugar content.

Ali Morpeth, a registered public health nutritionist and co-author of the study, says most parents were “shocked to learn that there are no regulations for sugar in baby foods.”

“Voluntary standards are notoriously ineffective in driving industry change for public health — so we believe the government must set mandatory regulations to improve the market for babies,” she asserts.

Establishing regulations

Morpeth and Threapleton recommend that regulations establish maximum sugar levels, clear front-of-pack indicators, and more accurate naming and labeling. They also urge a ban on health claims and marketing slogans that misrepresent a product’s nutritional quality.

“There is widespread use of halo marketing,” Morpeth explains, “such as ‘no added sugar’ claims on high-sugar items, or vague statements like ‘nutritionally balanced’ that are ultimately meaningless.”

Professor Janet Cade, who leads the Nutritional Epidemiology Group at Leeds and co-authored the report, warns that poor infant diets have long-term implications.

“We need to help parents protect young children because we know that diet in early life sets the scene for later health outcomes,” she says. “Existing regulations are insufficient and outdated.”

Sue Davies, head of food policy at Which?, agrees: “It’s unacceptable that so many foods and snacks aimed at babies have such poor nutritional quality and high sugar levels. The government urgently needs to update the laws to tighten composition rules, improve labeling, and clamp down on misleading marketing.”

Barbara Crowther, children’s food campaign manager at Sustain, adds: “Millions of parents regularly use these brands and want to trust them. They’re shocked and angry to learn the truth — that they’re not nearly as healthy as they claim to be. This excellent but shocking new analysis should be a wake-up call.”