IGD Health wrapped 2025

Health has been impossible to ignore in 2025, from the government’s new health strategy to the rise in GLP-1 uptake. IGD expects this momentum to continue into 2026, with greater focus on defining mandatory reporting for healthier sales and supporting businesses to adapt to an increasingly complex policy landscape.  

This article brings together IGD’s five most viewed health-related articles of 2025 and highlights the trends shaping the food system as we look ahead to 2026. 

Framework for population diet change 

IGD’s most viewed health article of the year was the framework for population diet change, reflecting the work that businesses have done, and continue to do, to transition towards more healthy and sustainable diets. 

What’s unique about the framework is the linking of health and sustainability to the commercial opportunities that arise from embedding these key elements into an organisation's strategy. The inclusion of 32 real-world case studies demonstrates how each of the seven levers can be applied in practice, offering a practical route map for organisations at different stages of maturity. 

Evaluation of the HFSS placement legislation 

In August a pioneering report by The University of Leeds, IGD and four major retailers - working in collaboration to share data - was published. The University of Leeds analysis assessed the impact of the October 2022 legislation which restricted the location of HFSS products in larger stores. 

The findings were significant. An estimated 2 million fewer in-scope HFSS products are sold per day. Interestingly, implementation didn’t exacerbate population inequalities and 56% of shoppers didn’t notice the in-store changes, emphasizing the policy’s success.  

This work underlines IGD’s role as a trusted convener, enabling collaboration across the food industry to generate robust evidence that informs both policy and business decision-making. 

The Nutrient Profiling Model explained: Stay ahead of HFSS changes

Behind HFSS legislation sits the 2004 nutrient profiling model (NPM). In 2025, discussions accelerated to modernising the 2004 NPM. Government stakeholders have suggested the 2018 NPM is the likely successor.  

In this article IGD presented the key differences between the two models, the operational challenges of transitioning, and what this could mean for businesses. As policy continues to evolve, early understanding of these technical changes will be critical for business planning and risk management. 

NHS 10 Year Plan: Food and drink impact

On 3 July the government announced the ‘10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future’, marking a clear shift from treating illness to preventing it. Food and drink sit at the centre of this prevention agenda. 

The industry has been called on to “make the healthy choice the easy choice” through a partnership described by government as world-leading to tackle the obesity epidemic. 

IGD’s analysis unpacked what this means in practice, cutting through the headlines to clarify implications for both commercial strategy and public health outcomes. 

“Introducing mandatory reporting and targets, will create a level playing field, drive standardisation, making it easier to compare like with like.” 

GLP-1s alone won’t fix our food system

GLP-1 medications have spread across the food and drink industry almost as quickly as they have in the general population, with 11% of adults saying they’d consider trying weight loss injections, equating to over 6 million future users in the UK alone. 

This is likely to have a major impact on consumer’s consumption patterns. IGD ShopperVista data suggests GLP-1 users are eating more fruit, vegetables, fibre and protein, while cutting back on snacks, soft drinks, and alcohol. 

Although GLP-1s offer significant promise as a treatment, they’re not a cure.  Without the food environment supporting individuals, long-term sustainable changes will remain out of reach. This offers industry an opportunity, one they must be proactive in realising. 

Trends for 2026

IGD is renowned for its forecasting. Under ‘Commercial Insight’ on the IGD homepage, numerous reports can be found over the last quarter providing expert insight into 2026 and beyond by region, sector and channel. For example, IGD’s latest viewpoint report: Viewpoint: What to plan for in 2026. 

Key trends shaping the UK food industry next year are explored through four new reports covering: grocery retail, shopper insights, eating out, food to go. 

IGD members have full access to all of these reports, while non-members can read executive summaries via Highlights. 

Top five IGD Health team takeaways for 2026

1. IGD forecasts retail food inflation will decline slowly from an average of about 4.3% in 2025 to 3.8% in 2026. 

2. Proactive health management will continue to drive demand for personalised nutritional advice and digital tools, with 84% of large European retailers already using AI in some capacity. 

3. Product ranges will increasingly be aligned to shopper missions, helping shoppers make conscious choices from GLP-1-friendly options to minimally processed foods. 

4. Businesses can expect to see the Government’s regulatory agenda continue to have a significant impact, shaping reformulation, healthy sales reporting and route-to-market strategies. 

5. Building resilience will become a commercial imperative, as securing consistent supply supports both competitive advantage and access to affordable nutrition. 

Summary 

Health has moved from a peripheral issue to a core strategic consideration for the UK food industry. As policy, consumer behaviour and innovation continue to evolve, businesses that engage early, collaborate widely and embed health into commercial decision-making will be best positioned to succeed in 2026.