Awareness around ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has risen dramatically in the last couple of years, putting it on the national agenda in countries around the world.

Governments have acknowledged the association between UPFs and poor health outcomes and are committed to addressing the issue through legislative actions. In the US, this includes making revisions to the FDA’s process for evaluating food ingredient safety, particularly targeting synthetic dyes and additives. While, in the UK, a ban on junk food advertising before 9pm will be effective from October 2025. 

To understand the consumer perspective on UPFs – and how increasing awareness might be changing buying behavior – we surveyed 1,000 working-age consumers in the US and the UK. An important factor we uncovered is the high level of confusion around what products are (and aren’t) classified as UPFs, showing this is an issue for all F&B brands, whether they’re selling UPFs or not. 

Overall findings

• Most consumers have heard of “ultra-processed foods” but a much smaller percentage can correctly define what the term means.
• Despite being unclear on what UPFs are, consumers are concerned about them. There is widespread belief that they increase the risk of obesity, and have other impacts detrimental to health.
• Concern about UPFs is driving shoppers to check labels, cook from scratch, buy organic, and fueling the “clean” eating trend. 

US Results

Growing awareness of UPFs, but a lack of understanding

Overall, 79% of the population had heard of the term “ultra-processed food” but only 40% said they knew the meaning of it. To test their understanding, we asked those respondents to select the description they felt fit the best. 64% correctly stated that ultra-processed food is “food that contains industrially-produced ingredients”, while 20% said it’s “food that’s high in saturated fat, salt or sugar” and 16% selected “food that is pre-made and packaged” [view US survey dashboard]. 

It’s true that UPFs frequently are high in saturated fat, salt or sugar but there are products that fit this description that aren’t necessarily UPFs – think about cheese or red meat. Equally, there are UPFs that might be deemed as healthy when looked at from a nutrient point of view (for example, low-fat yogurt with artificial sweetener). 

Only 40% of US consumers believe they know the meaning of the term “ultra-processed food”

Also problematic is the perception of all pre-made and packaged food being ultra-processed. Fresh and frozen ready-made meals have the potential to be healthy and free of artificial ingredients, so it’s important for consumers to be able to make the distinction between “prepared” food, and food that contains highly processed substances.    

Interestingly, women are significantly more likely to say they don’t know the meaning of the term “ultra-processed food” (45% versus 33% of men). Likewise, just over half of consumers aged 18-30 are unclear on the meaning, while over 50s are most likely to have never heard of UPFs (28%). 

Which foods are ultra-processed?

With most consumers unable to define what UPF is, it’s little wonder that it’s challenging for them to identify which products are ultra-processed. We provided the following definition: “Ultra-processed foods typically involve industrial formulations with ingredients not commonly found in home cooking, such as artificial flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers.” We then asked them to select from a list of 10 products, which they thought were UPFs.  

Consumers are most likely to believe that frozen chicken nuggets fall into the UPF category (62%), followed by diet carbonated soft drinks (54%). There’s reasonably good awareness that vegan meat substitutes may contain ingredients not commonly found at home (41%) but the same can’t be said for plant-based milks. Only 21% think these would be considered ultra-processed, despite some brands containing thickeners and refined oils to improve texture and shelf life. 

Less than 30% of shoppers believe canned baked beans and shredded cheese are UPFs but the presence of modified cornstarch (in the case of beans) and preservatives (in shredded cheese) mean these products usually are. Likewise, packaged wholegrain bread typically contains emulsifiers and preservatives, making this otherwise healthy product a UPF but only 15% of respondents identified it as such. 

Similarly, only 15% regard low-fat yogurt as a UPF, but when fat is removed, it’s frequently replaced with thickeners and sweeteners that can diminish the product’s nutritional benefits. Consumers are more likely to think dried pasta is a UPF (20%). While dried pasta rarely contains artificial ingredients, it might be enriched with vitamins and minerals – this suggests possible confusion over artificial and natural additives.  

A level of concern about UPFs that brands can’t ignore 

Despite the confusion around ultra-processed food, general consensus is that it represents something to be concerned about. Nearly 68% of consumers say they are concerned, including 27% who are “very concerned”. 

Older consumers demonstrate the most concern, with 35% of shoppers over 50 stating they’re “very concerned” about UPFs, in comparison to 22% of under 30s and 25% of 31-49-year-olds. So what are people concerned about?

The highest health risk shoppers associate with ultra-processed foods is obesity and weight gain: 73% of the total sample think this. More than half of consumers also believe UPFs can increase the risk of heart disease and hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cancer. 

Lesser-known are the risks they pose to brain function (34%) and mental health (32%). Emerging research indicates that even short-term consumption of UPFs can impair brain function, affecting insulin responsiveness and potentially contributing to cognitive decline. Meanwhile, high consumption of UPFs has been linked to adverse mental health outcomes, such as increased risk of depression and anxiety.

It’s worth noting that although men are equally as likely as women to be concerned about ultra-processed foods, they’re around -10 points less likely to believe they increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. 

Concern around UPFs pushing consumers to buy organic

Organic F&B brands could stand to profit from rising awareness of ultra-processed food: 37% of consumers say they are buying organic/natural products specifically to avoid UPFs. Consumers aged 18-30 are particularly likely to buy organic for this reason: 49% compared with 34% of 31-49-year-olds. 

Despite their elevated concern about UPFs, only 29% of over 50s are buying organic in order to avoid them. Our previous research into the organic category found that older shoppers are less convinced about the benefits of organic food and drink but there appears to be an opportunity to promote organic certified products as an easy way to avoid artificial additives.

Reading the ingredient list is the main behavior shoppers undertake to check if a product is a UPF: 55% of consumers do this, with over 50s especially likely to (59%). And half of Americans say they cook from scratch to be sure of what’s in their food. 

Just under 40% of shoppers are also trying to buy whole foods, such as fruits, veg, nuts and seeds, showing demand for unadulterated products. Young consumers especially are looking for “clean” foods that are as close as possible to their original form (44%).   

Only a small percentage of consumers have turned to tech to help them avoid UPFs, with 8% saying they use a food scanning app such as Yukka to see if products contain harmful additives. However, shoppers aged 18-30 over-index for using such apps (12%), suggesting it’s a trend that could grow. 

UK Results

Consumers are unclear about UPFs

While 86% of people have heard of the term “ultra-processed food” (UPF), only 35% understand what it means. When asked to define UPF, 52% of respondents correctly identified it as “food that contains industrially-produced ingredients.” However, 31% incorrectly believed it was “food that’s high in saturated fat, salt or sugar” and 16% thought it was “food that is pre-made and packaged.” [view UK survey dashboard]

Although UPFs are often high in saturated fat, salt, or sugar, these characteristics don’t automatically make a food ultra-processed. Cheese and red meat, for example, are high in saturated fat but are not UPFs. Conversely, some UPFs may appear healthy due to low saturated fat, salt, and sugar levels.

Only 35% of UK consumers think they know what “ultra-processed food” means

Additionally, not all pre-made and packaged foods are ultra-processed. Fresh and frozen ready-made meals can be healthy and free of artificial ingredients, highlighting that consumers need to be able to differentiate between “prepared” food and food that contains highly processed substances.

Interestingly, consumers in the UK aged 50+ are significantly more likely to say they know the meaning of the term “ultra-processed food” than their younger counterparts (57% versus 45% of under 30s and 48% of 31-49 year olds). 

Can consumers identify ultra-processed foods?

Given that most consumers are unable to define ultra-processed foods, it’s not surprising that they also struggle to identify UPF products. When given the definition: “Ultra-processed foods typically involve industrial formulations with ingredients not commonly found in home cooking, such as artificial flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers,” and asked to select UPF products from a list of 10 products, consumers were most likely to choose frozen chicken nuggets (67%) and diet carbonated soft drinks (47%). 

Nearly 41% of consumers believed vegan meat substitutes were UPFs, while only 20% thought plant-based milks were, despite some brands containing thickeners and stabilisers. Around 30% of shoppers believed canned baked beans and grated cheese were UPFs; both usually are due to the presence of modified cornstarch (in beans) and preservatives (in cheese). Packaged wholegrain bread also typically contains E-numbers, but only 21% of respondents identified it as a UPF.

Similarly, only 18% believe low-fat yoghurt to be a UPF, but low-fat products are often modified with thickeners and sweeteners that mean they are not as healthy as they appear. Only 16% of consumers think dried pasta – typically made from durum wheat and water – is a UPF. Although low, it still suggests some confusion around different food processing and preservation techniques.

Brands can’t afford to disregard the level of concern surrounding UPFs

While there’s some confusion around ultra-processed food, most Brits agree it’s a concern. Almost two-thirds of UK consumers are concerned about UPFs, with 22% being “very concerned”.

The top health risk consumers associate with UPFs is obesity and weight gain (70%). Over half also believe they increase the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes, and 45.5% link them with cancer.

Lesser-known risks include impaired brain function (24%) and poor mental health (27%). Recent studies show that even short-term UPF consumption can impair brain function, affecting insulin responsiveness and potentially contributing to cognitive decline. High UPF consumption has also been linked to adverse mental health outcomes, like depression and anxiety.

It’s worth noting that although shoppers of all ages are equally likely to be concerned about ultra-processed foods, the over 50s are significantly more likely to believe they increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Conversely, consumers aged 18-30 under-index for thinking UPFs lead to an elevated risk of these conditions. 

Concern around UPFs is driving home cooking

Cooking from scratch is the main behaviour consumers take to avoid UPFs. More than 60% of Brits say they cook at home to be sure of what’s in their food. However, younger shoppers are less likely to be motivated to cook for this reason: 50% of under 30s versus 60% of 31-49-year-olds and 70% of over 50s. 

Consumers in the UK aged 18-30 are also less likely to read ingredient lists to check if a product is a UPF: 37% compared with three quarters of older shoppers. But this age group does over-index for buying whole foods (44%), showing demand for “clean” unadulterated products. 

Young consumers are also especially likely to buy organic/natural products specifically to avoid UPFs: 38% compared with 29% of 31-49-year-olds. Only 23% of over 50s are buying organic in order to avoid UPFs, despite their elevated concern about the health risks. Previous research we carried out into the organic category found that older shoppers are less convinced about the benefits of organic food and drink but there could be an opportunity to promote organic certified products as a way to protect their health. 

While only 8% of consumers utilise food scanning apps like Yukka to identify harmful additives in products, this trend is more prevalent among the younger demographic (11%), indicating potential growth.