Tesco is tightening its approach to ultra-processed foods by banning or restricting more additives in its own-brand ranges. Multiple outlets report the retailer has moved to cover more than 100 additives under its policy, with figures cited as 114 additive ingredients banned or restricted.
Retail Gazette and Just-Food both describe the change as an expansion of a previous scheme. Retail Gazette says the number of covered additives rises from 65 last year to 114, framing the update as part of efforts to simplify ingredient lists and address customer concerns about processed foods. Just-Food similarly characterises the move as an increase in “restricted” additives within private-label products as Tesco works toward cutting UPFs.
Both reports indicate the policy targets specific types of additives, including artificial colours and sweeteners. While the outlets differ slightly in phrasing—one highlights the scale of “banned or restricted” additives and the other focuses on “restricted” additives—they align on the direction of travel: a broader additives crackdown in Tesco’s own-brand portfolio.
