AI challenges Big Food on nutrition transparency

How much of what the food industry sells is healthy? That’s the question many stakeholders want to know, from investors to governments, consumers and even industry competitors.

But healthy vs unhealthy sales splits are rarely available. And on the odd occasion they are, they’re quickly outdated.

That’s all about to change, according to the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNi), which challenges industry to make healthier foods more available and affordable. The NGO is increasingly using artificial intelligence to transform how food portfolios are assessed.

The aim is that soon everyone will be able to see, in real time, exactly how much of what the food industry sells is truly healthy.

Healthy vs unhealthy sales splits – in real timeATNi aims to ensure that at least 50% of all supermarket products are healthy worldwide by 2030 – a significant increase from the current baseline of 34%. The NGO is already monitoring the healthiness of food and beverage giants’ portfolios to nudge these companies in the right direction.

But the NGO only publishes The Global Index every two to three years, as well as a handful of country indexes every few years in Kenya, India, Tanzania, the US and UK. What ATNi really wants is real-time nutrition monitoring globally and in many more countries, and it plans to enable this with its new AI-enabled Nutrition Transformation Hub.

When a company improves the healthiness of its food or drink portfolio, it won’t need to wait until the next Global Index is published to change its ranking. “We want to be able to constantly measure and track that progress,” says Aurélie Reynier, head of data and AI at ATNi.

Which food manufacturers score best and worst, according to ATNiATNi’s Global Index ranks companies according to product healthiness. The most recent edition published in 2024 saw Yili Group, Danone, and Barilla in the top five; Ferrero Group, Hershey, and Mondelēz found themselves in the bottom five.

In fact, the NGO is rapidly improving its nutrition reporting system. “We’ve been changing our tactics and strategy,” says Reynier. “We’re looking more closely and efficiently at company portfolios, to achieve that 50% healthy food target by 2030.”

Manufacturers can self-assess the healthiness of portfoliosUnder the forthcoming Nutrition Transformation Hub, food and drink companies will be able to self-assess the healthiness of their portfolios. ATNi can then quickly do independent quality checks.

Using AI, ATNi hopes to help combat a “big issue” in benchmarking: reporting fatigue. “AI can help improve engagement,” explains data expert Reynier. “AI helps companies understand what they need to provide, and can guide them through the self-assessment process.”

With more data, and quicker ways of analysing that data, ATNi expects it can take nutrition reporting to the next level.

Another way ATNi can remove friction for industry is by pre-filling assessment details based on publicly available data. It’s then up to the company in question to fact-check that data – a significant time-saver for business.

How AI can help guide reformulation strategyATNi is testing ways its Nutrition Transformation Hub can guide food and drink manufacturers’ reformulation strategies.

ATNi also wants to help food makers reformulate their products with guidance and strategy. (ilbusca/Image: Getty/Ibusca)The NGO uses three nutrition profiling systems: Australia’s Health Star Rating, the UK’s Nutrient Profiling Model, and Europe’s Nutri-Score. If a company wants to improve their score using any of these three models, ATNi can help them find easy wins.

“We point out which part of the portfolio is easiest to improve,” explains Reynier. “Very often it’s focused on sugar, salt and fat – they’re the three big nutrients of concern. We also factor in risk and feasibility.

“The Hub will help us bring business and nutrition outcomes closer together.”

Benefits for policymakers and consumersIt’s hoped that more frequent and transparent reporting will serve policymakers. If governments are better informed about the healthiness of product portfolios, and act accordingly, ATNi says food policy could help shape healthier food environments.

In the future, AI should open doors for ATNi to communicate with consumers, something Reynier says was “out of its league” before. But with AI, making large amounts of information accessible to shoppers may no longer be a pipe dream.

Reporting on food manufacturers’ portfolios in real-time could benefit policymakers and consumers. (Image: Getty/twinsterphoto)“Step by step, we are realising that if we really want to be impactful, we need to go bigger,” explains Reynier.

Which brings ATNi back to its 2030 vision, of having 50% of supermarket shelves around the world be healthy. In most geographies, healthy food already accounts for around 34%, in others, as little as 15%.

“We feel this tool is one of the most important one we have, to reach those targets.”