UK’s Heavy Reliance on Ultra-Processed Food Reveals a Structural Food System Failure

By George Calder, The Exposé

More than 50% of the calories purchased by households in the United Kingdom now come from ultra-processed foods (UPFs) — a figure that places the UK at the top of Europe’s consumption rankings. As a new article in The Exposé reveals, this is not a reflection of poor individual choices, but a structural outcome of a highly centralized, supermarket-dominated food system.

European studies consistently show the UK consuming significantly more UPFs than countries such as France, Italy, and Spain. The difference, the article argues, lies in system design: a small number of large retailers control pricing, supplier access, and shelf space, favoring cheap, standardized, shelf-stable products over fresh and minimally processed foods.

The health consequences are well documented. Multiple large studies have linked higher UPF consumption to increased risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and higher overall mortality. Controlled trials show people eat more calories and gain weight on UPF-heavy diets even when nutritional profiles appear similar — suggesting food structure and processing matter as much as ingredients.

Despite this, the damage remains largely politically invisible. UPF-related harm accumulates slowly over years, diffusing responsibility and allowing governments and corporations to frame the issue as personal lifestyle choice rather than systemic failure. From a governance perspective, the system “works”: calories are cheap, food shortages are rare, and social stability is maintained — at the cost of long-term public health.

The article argues this is not a deliberate plot but an alignment of incentives. Retailers optimize margins and logistics, manufacturers optimize scale and repeat purchases, policymakers prioritize short-term affordability, and consumers respond to convenience. Health, resilience, and food sovereignty fall downstream — and once entrenched, the system becomes difficult to reverse without structural change.