Industry Watch
25 March 2026
Previous product placement trials have been underpowered and limited in outcomes. This study assessed the effects of positioning an expanded fruit and vegetable section near entrances on store-level sales, household-level purchasing and waste and dietary behaviours
The study was held during the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis when population-level fruit and vegetable sales and intake declined and recruitment to research was challenging. Despite these circumstances, the results show that positioning produce sections near supermarket entrances may improve the nutrition profile of store sales, household purchasing and women’s dietary quality.
31 March 2026
In the study, higher maternal ultra-processed food consumption was associated with smaller embryonic growth and yolk sac volume, and higher paternal UPF consumption was associated with reduced fertility.
Researchers say the sex-specific findings underscore the importance of considering UPF intake in preconception and early pregnancy diets to optimise reproductive outcomes, embryonic development and long-term offspring health. They do also note, however, that the inclusion of a relatively healthy population may limit the generalisability of the findings to broader or higher-risk groups.
25 March 2026
Analysts expect around 50 branded semaglutide generics to enter the market within months – a familiar pattern in India's competitive pharmaceutical industry. When the diabetes drug sitagliptin went off patent in 2022, around 30 branded versions appeared within a month and nearly 100 within a year.
Patents on GLP-1s expiring globally in future are predicted to have a significant effect on affordability and availability. Reports on how weight loss drugs are changing consumer behaviour already exist; it's to be expected that these shifts will be sped up by increased access due to the rolling out of generic medications over time.
17 March 2026
Plating Up Progress assesses 37 food businesses and includes nine indicators spanning the food system. One of the indicators looks at business performance on healthy and sustainable diets, and whether companies are disclosing data and setting sales-based targets for healthier and more environmentally sustainable food and drink versus less healthy and sustainable ones.
Our latest analysis shows clear progress since 2023, with 18 companies disclosing data on healthy food sales or setting a public sales-based target. This compares with just seven retailers previously, when manufacturers weren't included in the analysis.
10 March 2026
The global meat substitutes market size is expected to be valued at $7.6 billion in 2026 and projected to reach $13.0 billion by 2033. The market has evolved rapidly in recent years, supported by rising awareness around health, sustainability and ethical food choices. Continuous innovation in formulation and processing technologies has improved product quality and acceptance, enabling meat substitutes to move beyond niche positioning and become a regular part of everyday meals across global markets.
03 March 2026
In a new study, researchers from Harvard, the University of Michigan and Duke University examined how the design, marketing and distribution of ultra-processed foods mirror those of industrial tobacco products.
They found that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are engineered to heighten reward and accelerate delivery of reinforcing ingredients, driving compulsive consumption and disrupting appetite regulation. They identify this as a growing challenge for health policy.
As UPFs share key engineering strategies adopted from the tobacco industry, such as dose optimisation and hedonic manipulation, researchers suggest these parallels should inform how we classify and regulate UPFs. They say that policy tools that helped reduce tobacco-related harm should now be adapted to address the public-health threat posed by UPFs.
24 February 2026
Lindsey Marston, the BDA’s Policy and Campaigns Manager, explores how recent changes to legislation represent ‘a critical evidence-based shift towards food policy that strengthens the food environment and protects people, especially children, from unhealthy food promotion’.
Talking about why this matters for the profession, she says:
They help reshape the food environment.
The measures help reduce exposure to unhealthy foods.
They support efforts to close health inequalities.
17 February 2026
The 39th Annual Medical & Scientific Conference 2026 - Advancing CVD Prevention, will take place from Tuesday, 30 June to Thursday, 2 July 2026 at the East Midlands Conference Centre (Nottingham), marking an exciting new venue for 2026.
The leading conference for medical, scientific, healthcare and student attendees with an interest in lipids, atherosclerosis, cholesterol conditions, cardiovascular disease and nutrition, involved in primary and secondary care or industry.
22nd December 2025
GNOME has been developed through a joint commitment between the Physicians Association of Nutrition (PAN) International and NNEdPro Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health.
GNOME will act as a global hub and observatory for the generation of evidence, knowledge sharing, policy discussion, and capacity development in medical nutrition education.
GNOME will be released in phases, it will begin with regional activity and then extend gradually to support global collaboration, learning, and impact.
26th November 2025
Researchers at the University of Nottingham’s School of Psychology carried out a food categorisation task which involved 168 participants from the UK.
The study participants classified various supermarket food products into environmental impact categories which they defined and labelled themselves. The study participants were then shown each food product's scientific impact estimate on the environment and they stated whether they were surprised by how low or high each impact was.
The study findings showed that there were a number of misconceptions surrounding the environmental impact of food.
