Collection

Nutrient profiling model

Model used to classify foods and drinks based on their nutritional composition.

• From: Department of Health and Social Care
• Published: 27 January 2026

The UK nutrient profiling model (NPM) is a tool that determines what are ‘less healthy’ foods and drinks by calculating the beneficial and less beneficial nutrients in these products and producing a score.

Ofcom uses the ‘NPM 2004 to 2005’ to enforce rules that restrict advertising of products that are high in saturated fat, salt or sugar to children.

Since then, the NPM 2004 to 2005 has had a wider scope. It now underpins the:

• Advertising (Less Healthy Food Definitions and Exemptions) Regulations 2024
• Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021

In 2018, the Department of Health and Social Care commissioned Public Health England to review the NPM to bring it in line with current UK dietary recommendations. The updated NPM was published in January 2026 as the ‘NPM 2018’.

NPM 2004 to 2005

This is the NPM in current use. The model is set out in this technical guidance, published in 2011.

• Nutrient profiling model 2004 to 2005
  • 27 January 2026
  • Guidance

NPM 2018

This NPM is not yet applied to policy. Its policy application will be consulted on in due course.

• Nutrient profiling model 2018
  • 27 January 2026
  • Guidance

Consultation on updating the NPM

This consultation was part of the 2018 NPM review.

• UK nutrient profiling model 2018 review
  • 27 January 2026
  • Consultation outcome

Published 27 January 2026