A recent investigation has revealed that some snack bars marketed as “healthy” contain more sugar than a Krispy Kreme doughnut. The study, conducted by the campaign group Action on Salt and Sugar, assessed the nutritional content of over 450 snack bars sold in ten supermarkets across the UK. The findings indicate that some of the sweetest options pack in more than 26 grams of sugar per serving, equating to nearly seven teaspoons, or the equivalent of consuming more than two doughnuts from the popular chain.
Health guidelines from the National Health Service (NHS) recommend a maximum daily intake of 30 grams of free sugars, roughly translating to 210 grams per week. Excessive sugar consumption is linked to various health issues, including weight gain and dental problems. Alarmingly, the audit found that over half of the snack bars examined also contained high levels of saturated fat.
Among the snack bars that claimed to be high in fiber, nearly a third were also categorized as high in sugar. Experts have criticized the results, describing them as “unacceptable” and pointing to misleading marketing practices and insufficient government policies as contributors to the ongoing sugar crisis.
Dr. Kawther Hashem, a senior lecturer in public health nutrition at Queen Mary University of London and head of research at Action on Salt and Sugar, stated, “Parents and young people are being misled into believing these products are healthy when many contain excess sugar and calories.” She urged the government to implement stricter regulations on food labeling and introduce taxes on unhealthy food items to protect public health.
Nourhan Barakat, a nutritionist from Action on Salt and Sugar, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for transparency in food marketing. “Consumers deserve honesty from food businesses and shouldn’t have to decode confusing or misleading claims,” she said. Terms such as “natural ingredients” or “high in fiber” can often mask the high sugar and saturated fat content found in many of these snacks.
The investigation revealed that 37 percent of the snack bars assessed were classified as high in sugars according to the UK’s current traffic-light labeling system. When evaluated against stricter criteria from Chile, which labels products as high in sugar when they contain over 10 grams of added sugar, the percentage jumps to 68 percent.
Among the most concerning findings, the Marks and Spencer Dark Chocolate Date Bar contained 26.5 grams of sugar per serving, while a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnut has only 12 grams. Other notable examples include Nakd’s Raw Fruit & Nut Salted Caramel Bar and Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Squares Caramel & Chocolate Snack Bars, which contained 17 grams and 14 grams of sugar, respectively.
While some bars labeled as high in protein, such as Deliciously Ella’s Roasted Peanut Protein Ball, contained 16 grams of sugar per serving, others like Grenade’s Dark Chocolate Mint Flavour Bar surprisingly had only 0.4 grams.
The UK’s dietary guidelines recommend that snacks and drinks contribute no more than 20 percent of daily caloric intake. Yet, nearly a third of the products surveyed exceeded this limit, potentially leading to excessive calorie consumption. The Chia Charge Chia Seed Flapjack With Sea Salt Flakes registered the highest calorie count at 378 kcal per serving.
In light of these findings, Action on Salt and Sugar has called for mandatory front-of-pack labeling, which would require clear and consistent color-coded or warning labels. This initiative aims to help consumers easily identify unhealthy options. Moreover, the organization advocates for restrictions on health and nutrition claims, ensuring they apply only to products genuinely low in salt, sugar, and saturated fat.
The ongoing rise in average calorie intake within the UK has been linked to increasing rates of overweight and obesity, amplifying the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and preventable dental decay. Alarmingly, children aged 4 to 18 years consume nearly double the recommended limit for free sugars, underscoring the urgent need for effective public health interventions.
