The Food Foundation Broken Plate Report 2023 – The State of the Nation’s Food System 

The Food Foundation has published its 2023 edition of its annual Broken Plate report, tracking vital metrics, including new metrics this year, to reveal the health of our food system and impact on our lives. 

The Broken Plate | Food Foundation

Action on Salt and Action on Sugar have collaborated with the Food Foundation since the first Broken Plate Report in 2019, assessing the nutritional profile of breakfast cereals, and from 2021 yogurts, with packaging that appeals to children. For the first time, in 2023, we have also assessed front of pack nutrition and health claims on snacks marketed for babies and toddlers.  

Availability of low sugar options in key children’s food categories 

Bright, animated packaging that appeals to children can influence food preferences and consumption, an issue when products contain high levels of sugars. Yogurts and cereals are part of a child’s everyday diet, often with parents believing they’re a healthy choice. However, our 2023 data found just 7% of breakfast cereals and 8% of yogurts marketed to children are low in sugars, no change since 2022 in cereals, but with a small increase in yogurts.  

Businesses need to continue reformulating products to reduce sugar levels, and stop marketing unhealthy foods to children 

Marketing of baby and toddler snacks 

Claims such as ‘organic, no added sugar or salt’ made on baby and toddler foods can have a ‘health halo’ effect, misleading parents on the healthiness of a product. 97% of snack foods marketed for babies and toddlers surveyed had a nutrition or health claim on the front of packaging. Just 18% would be classified as low in sugar, as defined by an adult's maximum total sugar recommendation, and 26% would provide half of the maximum recommended sugar intake for a 2-year-old in a single portion.  

The government needs to restrict nutrition and health claims made on the front of packaging through the regulation of marketing and composition of baby and toddler foods.  

Zoe Davies, Nutritionist, Action on Salt

"If we are to improve child health and reduce the prevalence of preventable diseases related to poor diets, we need to target the food and drinks marketed and advertised for children. No product that would appeal to children should be unhealthy. Childhood is a critical time in developing food preferences and a healthy relationship with food: we should be able to bring our children up in an environment that supports this, rather than teach them how to ignore food industry tactics"