Recipe for Change demands sweeping industry action: Are you ready for the reformulation revolution?

The Recipe for Change campaign has brought the topic of food reformulation to the forefront, placing significant pressure on the industry to adapt.

With growing concerns about sugar, salt and saturated fat in everyday foods​​ – especially common in snacks and baked goods – a coalition (which comprises 35 leading expert health, food and children’s bodies along with royal medical colleges) has called on the UK government to accelerate and expand financial incentives to promote a healthier food industry.

In a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Health Secretary Wes Streeting, the coalition states, ‘voluntary reformulation programmes for sugar, salt and calories are not proving effective enough, achieving only a 3.5% reduction in sugar levels of key product categories’.

This was compared to the mandatory Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL),​​ ‘which has achieved a reduction in total sugar sales of 34.3% between 2015-2020’. The announcement made in the Autumn Budget to extend the SDIL to include sugar-sweetened milk and milk substitute drinks was hailed by the group as ‘sensible’ and they are now calling for decisive government action to expanded food industry regulation in the 2025 Comprehensive Spending Review.

The Recipe for Change campaign highlights the potential of such sweeping action. According to coalition modelling, widespread reformulation of sugar and salt could prevent up to 2 million cases of diet-related illness over the next 25 years, resulting in an economic gain of up to £77.9bn. The campaign’s recommendations align with those from the recent Lords’ Select Committee on Food, Diet and Obesity, which advocates for financial incentives that align industry practices with public health goals.

“The Soft Drinks Industry Levy has shown us that effective and enforced measures like this work to incentivise manufacturers to make their products healthier,” said John Maingay, director of Policy & Influencing for the British Heart Foundation.

“The Government should now build on its success by extending a similar levy to foods containing too much salt and sugar. This will help to address stubbornly high rates of obesity, overweight and cardiovascular disease across the UK.”

Consumer demand: The real driver of change

The mounting pressure isn’t just coming from policymakers and health experts; it’s also driven by an increasingly informed and vocal consumer base that’s holding brands accountable for the nutritional quality of their products.

Today’s consumers are more aware than ever of the health risks associated with ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and are demanding greater transparency and better options from food producers.

A recent YouGov poll reveals 74% of British adults believe food companies aren’t honest about the health impacts of their products, while only 13% trust these companies to prioritise healthier options without regulation.

Consumers are expressing health concerns not only about sugar​ ​and salt but also about the high levels of processing in foods, which studies increasingly link to health risks like obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.​​

In fact, 68% of the surveyed British adults support expanding levies like the SDIL to other sugary and salty foods, provided the funds support children’s health initiatives. This groundswell of consumer advocacy places brands in a position where reformulation is no longer a voluntary undertaking: it’s fast becoming a business necessity to retain consumer trust and loyalty.

“These new poll results confirm that the public does not trust the food and drink industry to put health before profit,” said Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance.

“Years of manipulative tactics have allowed them to avoid regulation, delay progress and disguised products as ‘healthy’, hiding the sad reality that they’re packed with salt, sugar and saturated fat. We’re now calling on our new government to turn words into action and deliver real change.”

Insights from the Bakery&Snacks webinar

Despite the urgency, reformulating products to reduce sugar, salt and saturated fats is no simple task. Companies – especially SMEs – often face technical, financial and logistical hurdles. Reformulation requires precise adjustments to recipes to maintain taste and texture, rigorous testing and often the use of alternative ingredients, which can increase production costs.

Amid this call for change, Bakery&Snacks recently hosted a webinar that brought together some industry experts to discuss the complexities of reformulation. The webinar – freely available on demand ​​– provides essential insights into the technical and regulatory aspects of reformulating foods to meet health expectations.

The panel featured prominent figures in the industry, each bringing a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities reformulation presents.

Joanne Burns, who leads the Reformulation for Health project for Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland shared strategies for helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) achieve reformulation goals despite limited resources.

Burns emphasised that for reformulation to be successful across all scales of business, technical support and guidance are essential. Her work – which is funded by the Scottish government – provides a crucial model for how public and private organisations can support SMEs, which face distinct hurdles in altering recipes without escalating costs.

Anna Rosales, senior director of Government Affairs and Nutrition for the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), spoke on the role of regulation and government policy in supporting reformulation efforts.

With a background that includes positions at global food brands like Barilla, Rosales provided a regulatory and scientific perspective, emphasising that clear, enforced regulations can level the playing field, making reformulation an achievable goal for companies across the board. Her focus on policy underscores the Recipe for Change coalition’s belief that without government support, the food industry may struggle to meet public health demands.

Leo Campbell, cofounder of the innovative start-up Modern Baker, introduced a different yet highly relevant angle: the role of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in the reformulation debate.

Modern Baker has made strides with Superloaf, a healthier bread that avoids many of the pitfalls of ultra-processing. Campbell is a vocal advocate for rethinking UPFs, which he argues contribute significantly to diet-related health issues.

The controversy around UPFs – and whether reformulated UPFs can truly align with public health goals – is a contentious but vital discussion. Campbell shared insights from his experience in food tech and his journey to create products that meet health demands without sacrificing taste or consumer appeal.

A shift towards health-conscious production

The push for reformulation as advocated by Recipe for Change reflects an industry-wide shift where health becomes central to business strategy. The movement represents an opportunity for brands to lead the way in a market increasingly defined by health-conscious consumers. Companies like Modern Baker are already seeing the rewards of aligning with these consumer values, building trust and loyalty among audiences that prioritise wellness.

The Recipe for Change campaign underscores that reformulation is a win-win: it meets public demand for healthier options while positioning businesses as the forerunners of a progressive and responsible food industry.

Kath Dalmeny, Chief Executive of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming and a signatory to the letter says:

“It’s time to stop subsidising obesity and start incentivising health,” said Sustain CEO Kath Dalmeny.

“Shop shelves are still loaded with unhealthy food after decades of ineffective voluntary reduction programmes. Enough is enough. Let’s build on what works and enforce real regulation, with consistent financial incentives across the food industry. This will give children the healthier future they truly deserve."

The reformulation revolution is here, driven by consumer demand, backed by expert advocacy and supported by initiatives like Recipe for Change. Now, the question remains: is your brand prepared to take on this challenge?

The insights provided in the Bakery&Snacks webinar will be invaluable, offering guidance on the technical, regulatory and consumer-driven aspects of reformulation.

Studies:

House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee:​​ ‘Recipe for health: a plan to fix our broken food system’.

Hashem KM, Burt HE, Brown MK, MacGregor GA. Outcomes of sugar reduction policies, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.​​ Bull World Health Organ. 2024 Jun 1;102(6):432-439. doi: 10.2471/BLT.23.291013. Epub 2024 Mar 27. PMID: 38812797; PMCID: PMC11132159.

World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. (‎2022)‎. WHO European Regional Obesity Report 2022.​​ World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/353747. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO

Aramburu Adolfo, Alvarado-Gamarra Giancarlo, et al. Ultra-processed foods consumption and health-related outcomes: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. ​​Frontiers in Nutrition, Vol 11. DOI=10.3389/fnut.2024.1421728.