Nutrition Brands Can Lead By Example Through the Commercial Baby Food Crisis

The UK baby food sector is at a critical crossroads. The “Commercial Baby Foods in Crisis: Addressing Health, Marketing & Inequality” webinar, hosted by Sustain and the University of Leeds, shed light on urgent concerns in the industry. From high sugar levels and misleading marketing to the absence of robust, mandatory regulation, the baby food sector is under growing scrutiny. With media attention rising and parental trust wavering, nutrition brands are facing both pressure and opportunity. This is the moment for nutrition brands to lead by example.

At HRS, we’re here to support you as you navigate this space. Whether you’re reviewing formulations, refining messaging, or responding to heightened public concern, we partner with brands to communicate clearly, ethically, and confidently, grounded in science and public sentiment.

The Scale of the Problem Is Now Clear

The University of Leeds research team assessed 632 baby food products from UK supermarkets and surveyed over 1,000 parents. Their findings point to systemic issues in product formulation and marketing:

• 25% of products would require a front-of-pack warning label for high sugar content.
• 41% of main meals were found to be too sweet, with total sugar content exceeding 15%.
• 55% of snack products contained added sugars.
• 31% of early weaning foods were marketed as suitable from four months, against NHS and WHO guidance, which recommends introducing solids no earlier than six months.
• 21% of ready-to-eat meals, particularly fruit-based options, were found to be too watery, reducing energy density.
• 19% of products were deemed to have misleading names that did not accurately reflect their contents.
• 51% of spout products came with no recommendation not to drink directly from the spout.

These aren’t just technical findings, they reflect what parents are experiencing in the baby food aisle: confusion, frustration, and a lack of clear information.

With so many products falling short of nutritional and developmental standards with marketing that often obscures rather than clarifies, parents are left making choices in the dark. Identifying genuinely healthy options is harder than it should be.

Why Trust and Transparency Must Come First

Nutrition brands can lead by example in how they respond to growing calls for reform. The commercial baby food market is evolving fast, and parents, experts, and campaigners are asking the necessary, yet challenging, questions:

• Why are so many baby foods high in sugar?
• Why are products marketed as suitable from four months, when official guidance says six?
• Why do health claims on packaging often mask poor nutritional quality?

Trust is being tested. In today’s marketplace, transparency is no longer optional. Nutrition brands must take proactive steps to build and maintain consumer confidence.

Public health experts are clear. The responsibility for reform does not lie with parents. It lies with industry and government.

Parents should not feel guilty. They should be able to trust that what’s on the shelf is genuinely good for their children, especially at such a critical stage of life. Packaging should reflect what matters most: developmentally appropriate products, backed by clear, evidence-based guidance.

This is a moment for brands to lead. Not just to meet rising expectations, but to help shape a healthier, more honest baby food landscape.

How Nutrition Brands Can Take the Lead

The findings from the University of Leeds highlight an industry falling short of the standards parents expect and children need. With only 45% of products meeting the Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model (NPPM) criteria, particularly around sugar content, it’s clear that voluntary action alone isn’t cutting through.

The good news is, there’s already a path forward. The WHO Collaborating Centre in Nutritional Epidemiology at the University of Leeds has developed the NPPM as a ready-to-use tool to help brands assess and improve the nutritional quality and marketing of their products, in line with WHO standards.

Here’s how your brand can lead the way:

✅ Reformulate with intention

Focus on creating nutrient-dense first foods that introduce vegetables early and support flavour development. Incorporate more texture, not just smooth purées, to promote oral development and healthy eating habits. Reducing added sugars and avoiding claims like “1 of 5 a day” on inappropriate products will go a long way in rebuilding trust with parents.

✅ Be honest and age-appropriate

Align product messaging with NHS and WHO guidance and only market products as suitable from six months onwards, supporting exclusive breastfeeding before that age. Avoid any claims or imagery that undermine breastfeeding recommendations.

✅ Rethink marketing

Product names and visuals should reflect what’s actually inside, not create a ‘health halo’ that masks poor nutritional value. Removing vague or misleading language from packaging and digital content is one of the most powerful ways brands can demonstrate transparency and rebuild credibility across the industry.

✅ Empower parents with clarity

Clear front-of-pack labelling, straightforward product descriptions, and easily accessible online information all help reduce confusion in the baby food aisle. When brands make it easier for parents to make informed decisions, trust grows naturally.

✅ Advocate for stronger regulation

Join the growing call for clear, mandatory standards that protect infant health. By supporting policy change and the adoption of tools like the NPPM, brands can help shape a level playing field and demonstrate leadership in putting child health first.

Voluntary guidance has fallen short. By supporting the adoption of consistent, mandatory standards, such as the NPPM, brands can help level the playing field and show leadership where it matters most. Advocacy for better regulation isn’t just policy work, it’s an opportunity for nutrition brands to lead by example to help reshape the future of the baby food category for good.

Supporting Nutrition Brands to Lead with Integrity

The commercial baby food sector is at a turning point. As expectations shift and the need for change becomes clear, brands have an opportunity to lead, by reformulating responsibly, communicating transparently, and showing families that their trust is well placed.

We support nutrition brands ready to step forward with purpose. Whether you’re updating product messaging, engaging consumers more meaningfully, or sharing your stance through thought leadership, we’re here to help you communicate with clarity and credibility.

This is a moment to lead with integrity and we’re here to help you do just that.