Over the past three decades, New Zealand’s imports of “ultra-processed” foods and drinks increased significantly, from 16 kilograms per person in 1990 to 104 kilograms in 2023.

Our research shows the share of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in New Zealand’s total food and drink imports rose from 9% in 1990 to 22% in 2023.

The medical journal The Lancet defines UPFs as:

branded, commercial formulations made from cheap ingredients extracted or derived from whole foods, combined with additives, and mostly containing little to no whole food.

branded, commercial formulations made from cheap ingredients extracted or derived from whole foods, combined with additives, and mostly containing little to no whole food.

These foods include soft drinks, sweet and savoury snacks and ready meals. They are gaining global attention as a major health and environmental concern.

Diets high in UPFs carry a risk of developing a wide range of serious health conditions – including being overweight or obese, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, chronic kidney disease and depression – and premature death.

Due to their reliance on plastic packaging, and water and energy use in production, they are also environmentally damaging.

We don’t have a clear picture of how much ultra-processed food New Zealanders are eating because the country has not run a national nutrition survey since 2008.

But if New Zealand is anything like Australia or Canada, it is likely about half the population’s energy intake is........

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