Parents and carers across England will soon be able to shop for healthier food for their children with new guidelines arrive.
The Government has today (22 August) issued new guidelines for manufacturers to reduce sugar and salt in commercial baby foods.
Labelling is to be made clearer to help parents shop easier and make informed choices about what they feed their children, in an attempt to tackle what is described as “concerning levels of sugar found in snack foods for young children.”
Baby food manufacturers will be given 18 months to reduce sugar and salt levels in baby foods aimed at children up to 36 months old.
Businesses will be challenged to change the recipes for their products to reduce levels of salt and sugar, without the use of sweeteners as these are not permitted for use in commercial baby food. Clearer labelling guidelines will also be introduced to help parents understand more easily what food they are buying for their children.
High sugar intake in children’s diets is a significant factor contributing to high rates of childhood obesity in the UK, which is among the highest in Western Europe
Public Health Minister, Ashley Dalton (left), said: “Every child deserves a healthy, happy start to life. But babies’ development is being harmed by poor diets and unhealthy food, holding them back and piling up pressure on the NHS.
“Too often, parents are bombarded with confusing labels, disguising unhealthy foods packed with hidden sugars and salt.”
“Too often, parents are bombarded with confusing labels, disguising unhealthy foods packed with hidden sugars and salt. Our Plan for Change will tackle this, giving parents the information they need and providing children with good nutritious food.
The new guidelines will also tackle misleading labelling that often conflicts with official feeding advice. For example, some products labelled as snacks for babies from seven months onwards directly contradict government recommendations that children aged 6-12 months do not need snacks between meals, only milk.
Manufacturers will also be told to cease using misleading marketing claims that make products appear healthier than they are - for example, products with labels such as “contains no nasties” - when products may be high in sugar.
Dr. Vicky Sibson, director at First Steps Nutrition, added: “These voluntary guidelines are a first step towards clamping down on the longstanding and widespread poor practices of the baby food industry. These practices mislead parents and undermine their best efforts to feed their babies and toddlers healthy, age-appropriate diets.”
From January 2026, adverts for less healthy products will be banned from being shown on TV before 9pm or at any time online, reducing children’s excessive exposure to many foods high in fat, sugar or salt. The government has also granted more powers to local authorities to ban fast food shops from setting up outside of schools.
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