Ultra-Processed Food Policy Forum 2026

The Ultra-processed Food Policy Forum is convening world-leading scientists, politicians, policymakers and civil society representatives at Imperial Business School. Together, they will discuss the latest scientific evidence on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and explore the scope for effective, evidence-based regulatory and policy responses to their growing dominance in people’s diets and their impacts on health.

The Forum is jointly organised by the Centre for Health Economics & Policy Innovation at Imperial Business School, the Imperial School of Public Health, and the Imperial Policy Forum.

Building on Imperial’s conference on the case for government action on UPFs, held in November 2024, this year’s Forum will focus on accelerating progress towards a more robust, science-based policy agenda. As governments worldwide intensify efforts to address the expanding role of UPFs in diets, high-quality research is increasingly central to shaping policies that are both effective and sustainable.

Momentum for action in the UK and internationally has continued since the 2024 Imperial event. A series of papers published in The Lancet in November 2025 marked a turning point, providing a strong framework for bridging science and policy.

Calls for regulation in the 2024 UK House of Lords report on food, diet and obesity, alongside the ongoing House of Commons inquiry into food and weight management, as well as emerging policy discussions at European Union level, reflect increasing attention to UPFs in the public debate on food, nutrition and health.

The Ultra-processed Food Policy Forum will showcase policy approaches from across the globe, providing policymakers, researchers and civil society with comparative insights and practical lessons for future action.