• Boots is the first national retailer to sell only baby food products that meet the Government’s new nutritional guidance, ahead of 2027 target  

• The updated standards promote healthier choices by limiting sugar, sweetening ingredients and added salt for babies and young children 

• Customers can shop with confidence from an edited range of almost 250 products, reviewed by Boots’ Lead Nutritionist 

Boots announces a significant step forward in its mission to help parents make healthier choices for their baby’s nutrition.

From this month, Boots will only sell ready-made baby food products that meet the new nutritional guidelines published by the Government, making it the first major UK retailer to adopt these voluntary guidelines ahead of the target of February 2027. 

These guidelines are part of the Government’s wider agenda to address childhood obesity. For babies under 12 months, the new standards mandate no added sugar, sweetening ingredients or added salt in baby foods or finger foods. There are also limits on total sugar and/or fruit, and sodium content* in snacks for children aged 12 months to three years. 

By reviewing and refining its full baby food range with the support of its nutritionists, Boots is making it easier for parents to feel assured that the products they choose are healthy, nutritious, and aligned with expert guidance.  

Ready to eat baby foods play an important role for families, offering convenience, long shelf life and ease for feeding on the go. With an extensive baby food selection, featuring almost 250 baby snacks, dried food and wet pouches at accessible prices from just £1, Boots continues to champion high quality options for families at every stage of their baby’s development. 

Vicky Pennington, Lead Nutritionist at Boots, who led the review, said: “This is an important step forward for the baby food market and for parents who want to give their children the best possible start in life. We’re trusted by millions of customers and are committed to helping parents navigate children’s nutrition. We know that comparing labels and understanding nutritional information can be challenging, especially when life is busy. Our aim is to make it easier for families to feel confident and know that every product they find at Boots meets high nutritional standards.”  

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, said: “Families deserve to know the food they’re buying for their babies meet high nutrient standards, which is why we’ve set clear guidelines for the industry. Government can’t build a healthy society alone, it requires business, the voluntary sector, and all of us as citizens to play our part. 

“It is fantastic that Boots are leading the charge and no longer selling products with excessive sugar and salt. I hope other outlets will now follow the example Boots has set. 

“Every child deserves a healthy start to life and making it easier for parents to choose healthier options is an important part of that.”

Baby food brands are also reacting quickly to these new nutritional guidelines. Within its full category review, Boots has also launched several new products, including first of their kind ‘nutty pouches’ from Ella’s Kitchen, who are also expanding their snacking range, new pots and pouches from Cow & Gate, and newly reformulated Organix Original Rice Cakes.

Boots will have replaced all non-compliant products in its range by mid-April. This is the latest commitment Boots has made to do the right thing as a retailer, and it is known for helping customers be more sustainable in their shopping habits too. In 2022 it was one of the first retailers to ban plastic in wet wipes and later that year, it switched to only sell organic cotton wool across Boots Brand products.  

 *This does not apply to natural sugars found in pure fruit or vegetable purées.