Tesco bans or restricts 114 additives across its own-brand food range

Tesco is tightening the rules around its own-brand food, banning or restricting 114 additives as shoppers pay closer attention to ultra-processed foods.

The supermarket said it wants to help customers make healthier choices while offering clearer information about what is in its products. More than 80% of Tesco customers told the retailer they were trying to eat fewer processed foods, although many found the issue difficult to navigate.

More transparency for shoppers

Alice Ritchie, Tesco’s head of healthy and sustainable diets, said concern about ultra-processed food had become “much more than just a trend”.

“Customers are talking about UPFs more than ever before, reading ingredients lists and asking for more transparency,” she said.

As part of its response, Tesco has either removed or restricted 114 food additives from its own-brand products. The retailer also said it would continue reformulating food to reduce levels of products classed as high in fat, salt and sugar, known as HFSS.

Ritchie said Tesco wanted to support customers moving towards healthier whole foods, including fresh fruit and vegetables, by keeping its fresh range affordable and appealing.

Growing focus on processed food

Tesco’s announcement follows growing consumer and political discussion about ultra-processed food. Marks & Spencer launched its Only… range last year, using minimal ingredients, and said it had received a strong response from customers looking to reduce UPFs.

A survey by the Food Standards Agency earlier this year found that eating less processed food was a higher priority for consumers than cutting down on sugar or eating more fruit and vegetables. Nearly 6,000 adults were asked about health-related changes they had made to their diets during the previous 12 months.

However, the debate remains unsettled. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition said there were still “significant gaps” in the evidence about the harms associated with ultra-processed food, and concluded that there was not enough evidence to recommend a further crackdown.

Researchers and public health campaigners continue to disagree over how best to address the issue. Nesta previously warned that setting specific government targets for UPFs could be difficult, noting that many categories, including confectionery, cakes and crisps, are already covered by the government’s nutrient profiling model.

For Tesco shoppers, the immediate change will be a continued push to reformulate own-brand products, provide alternatives and make ingredient information easier to understand.