A landmark study from the University of Leeds has uncovered a shocking truth about the baby food products sold in UK supermarkets: the overwhelming majority are ultra-processed, raising urgent concerns about the long-term health of Britain’s youngest generation.
The research, which analysed more than 600 baby food items from leading brands, found:
- A staggering 87% of baby snacks and 79% of baby cereals are classified as ultra-processed foods (UPFs) – made using industrial techniques and ingredients far removed from natural or home-style preparation
- In total, nearly 1 in 3 baby food products (31%) on UK shelves fall into the UPF category.
Drilling deeper, researchers analysed 133 ultra-processed baby snack products and discovered troubling trends:
- “Melty” puffed snacks (n=68) – low in nutritional value and marketed as safe weaning foods.
- Cakes, biscuits, and snack bars (n=44) – averaging 21% of calories from sugar, nearly double that of a digestive biscuit.
- Fruit-based chewy bars and gums (n=21) – packing a staggering 67% of their calories from sugar.
The research also found that packaging often misleads caregivers by highlighting natural ingredients, convenience benefits, and self-feeding claims – despite the products being significantly industrially processed.
Following the launch of the UK Government’s new 10-Year Health Plan on 29 June, the University of Leeds team is urging the Government to act without delay by:
- Banning added sugars and limiting industrial additives in products intended for infants and toddlers.
- Introducing tougher regulations on processing and ingredients in commercial baby food.
- Enforcing transparent labelling that accurately reflects nutritional quality.
The overall findings add to a growing body of evidence linking ultra-processed foods to increased risks of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease later in life – reinforcing the need for early interventions.
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are typically high in refined ingredients, additives, and cosmetic processing techniques. They’re designed to extend shelf life and maximise convenience and palatability – often at the expense of nutritional quality. Researchers warn that early exposure to unhealthy UPFs may disrupt taste development, normalise snacking behaviour, and increase long-term risk of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions.
Dr Diane Threapleton, lead researcher and paediatric nutrition expert at the University of Leeds says:
“We’re seeing highly processed snacks, sweets, cereals – even meals dominating the baby aisle. These are often marketed as healthy, organic, or with ‘no added sugar’ claims, but they contain ingredients and undergo processing that bear little resemblance to the kind of food young children should be growing up on. These products are setting up babies to crave ultra-processed, overly sweet foods from the very start. There’s a real opportunity now for the Government to show it’s serious about raising a healthier generation. The current state of the baby food aisle is unacceptable, and it must no longer be ignored.”
Ali Morpeth, Registered Nutritionist and co-author of the study explains:
“The high proportion of UPF snacks available is driving dietary patterns that normalise frequent snacking, regular exposure to processed foods, and a preference for hyper-sweet tastes. We would never accept such poor standards in baby car seats or toys – yet somehow this level of nutritional neglect is allowed in baby foods. This goes far beyond individual choice. It’s about public health protection, social equity, and our responsibility to the next generation. We urgently need the government to step in and put infant health above commercial interests.”
Katharine Jenner, Director of the Obesity Health Alliance adds:
“The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan talks of a moonshot to end obesity, but we’ll never get off the launchpad unless we close the gap in our early years. A healthy life starts from the very beginning and right now, we’re feeding our babies and toddlers ultra-processed foods that undermine their development and long-term health.
“The baby food aisle is flooded with sugary, ultra-processed snacks that set children up for a lifetime of poor eating habits, obesity, and tooth decay. With the UK in the grip of an oral health crisis, we urgently need government to limit baby food companies from selling high sugar foods with misleading labelling. These products undermine the best intentions of parents and carers, who want to put their child’s health first.”
Details of study methods can be found in published reports: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/news-health/news/article/5767/commercial-baby-foods-crisis-revealed-in-leeds-research
Analysis of baby foods focusing on UPFs builds on an initial study into the composition and labelling of baby foods supported by the Which? Fund.
