Nutrient profiling model 2004 to 2005

The UK nutrient profiling model (NPM) 2004 to 2005 was developed by the Food Standards Agency as a tool to enable Ofcom, the broadcast regulator, to identify less healthy foods and drinks that are high in saturated fat, sugar or salt (HFSS).

The NPM was subject to rigorous scientific scrutiny, extensive consultation and review.

In April 2007, Ofcom introduced broadcasting restrictions to significantly reduce the exposure of children to television advertising of HFSS food and drink. Ofcom has used the NPM since then.

The NPM uses a scoring system which balances the contribution made by beneficial nutrients of food and drink products alongside the negative contributions from nutrients where intakes are higher than recommended, to provide an overall nutrient profiling score. This score indicates whether a food or drink can be advertised on TV during children’s viewing time.

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

For more information on using the NPM in these, see:

• Restricting advertising of less healthy food or drink on TV and online: products in scope
• Restricting promotions of products high in fat, sugar or salt by location and by volume price

The updated NPM 2018 was published in January 2026. The NPM 2018 is not yet applied to policy.