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Food and drink manufacturers have reduced the salt, sugar and calorie contribution of branded products sold in the UK grocery market by almost a fifth over the past five years, according to new research published by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

The findings, released in the trade body's latest Shaping a Healthier Future report, show that products made by FDF member companies now contribute 18% less salt, 19% less sugar and 17% fewer calories to the British grocery market compared with 2021.

The data also indicates that the overall nutritional profile of branded food and drink products has improved significantly. According to the Government's Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM), the average score of FDF member products improved by 13% between 2021 and 2025, falling from 3.8 to 3.3. Under the model, lower scores indicate healthier products, while foods scoring above four are classified as "less healthy."

The FDF said the improvements reflect decades of investment in product reformulation and healthier product development, with manufacturers allocating an estimated £167 million to £200 million of research and development spending to healthier innovation in 2024 alone.

The report highlights several recent reformulation projects across major food manufacturers.

Breakfast cereal manufacturer Kellogg's has reduced total sugar in its All-Bran range by 17% since 2024, while maintaining the product's fibre content and vitamin fortification. Meanwhile, Danone UK & Ireland completed a three-year reformulation programme that reduced sugar across its Core and Triple Action Actimel ranges by 9%, bringing all Actimel products below 10g of sugar per 100g.

Premier Foods also introduced its Mr Kipling Delicious & Light range following three years of product development. The range, which includes apple pies, angel slices and chocolate slices, contains 30% less sugar, reduced fat and salt levels, and significantly higher fibre content compared with traditional cake products.

The industry body argues that such innovations demonstrate how incremental product improvements can help consumers make healthier choices without requiring significant changes in shopping habits.

Supporting that argument, research from innovation foundation Nesta has suggested that widespread switching to healthier alternatives could significantly reduce obesity rates over time.

However, alongside celebrating the progress, the FDF has raised concerns over proposed government changes to the Nutrient Profiling Model. The organisation warns that revisions currently under consideration could result in products such as high-fibre breakfast cereals, fruit yoghurts and some reformulated convenience foods being reclassified as "less healthy," potentially subjecting them to tighter advertising restrictions.

The federation argues that such changes could undermine incentives for companies to invest in reformulation and healthier product innovation, while also limiting consumer awareness of healthier alternatives.

Kate Halliwell, chief scientific officer at the Food and Drink Federation, said: "Food and drink manufacturers are committed to supporting consumers to make healthier choices, which will help improve diets. They've invested hundreds of millions of pounds over many years in changing products that shoppers know and love to make them healthier as well as appealing to shoppers. And this latest data shows that tremendous positive progress continues to be made."

The FDF is instead calling on the government to accelerate plans for mandatory reporting of healthier food sales across the food sector, a proposal ministers have committed to introducing before the end of the current Parliamentary term.

Under the proposed reporting framework, food businesses would be required to publish standardised data on the health profile of their sales, creating what the industry body describes as a transparent mechanism for tracking progress and encouraging further investment in healthier products.

The federation is also advocating for the scheme to be extended beyond manufacturing to include hospitality operators, creating a consistent approach across the wider food industry.

The debate comes as policymakers continue to explore strategies for tackling obesity and diet-related health issues, while manufacturers seek regulatory certainty to support long-term investment in reformulation and product innovation.

For the UK's food and beverage sector, the outcome could influence not only future product development priorities but also the pace at which healthier alternatives reach supermarket shelves.