NAIROBI, Kenya – A sweeping majority of packaged food and beverage products sold in Kenya will now face mandatory health warnings following the launch of the country’s new nutrient profile model, aimed at tackling the rising burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
According to a new report by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI), nearly 90 per cent of food and drink products assessed in Kenya exceed safe limits for sugar, salt, or saturated fat as defined by the government’s model introduced in June.
These include popular items sold by major local and global brands like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Brookside Dairy, and Manji Foods.
The Ministry of Health’s new framework is part of a broader strategy to curb a surge in conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension, which experts attribute to unhealthy dietary habits.
The government has now committed to stricter regulations, including:
- Front-of-pack warning labels for high-risk products
- Advertising restrictions, especially targeting children
- Taxes on sugary drinks to reduce consumption
“Kenya is at this tipping point where they could follow in the paths of countries like the US, where we are seeing high levels of obesity and overweight, or they could act now to try to prevent that,” said Katherine Pittore, ATNI’s Head of Policy.
The report analysed 746 packaged products from the 30 largest food and beverage companies in Kenya, which collectively account for over half of the country’s formal processed food market.
The findings are alarming: even items fortified with vitamins and minerals—such as sweetened yoghurts and biscuits—were found to fail health criteria based on the new nutrient profile.
In parallel, international benchmarks like Nutri-Score, which also considers the presence of beneficial nutrients, showed that nearly two-thirds of these products would still be considered unhealthy.
This is ATNI’s first in-depth assessment on the African continent, alongside a similar study in Tanzania.
The group has previously raised concerns that global food giants often offer less nutritious products in low-income countries than in their wealthier counterparts.
The urgency is underscored by Kenya’s rapidly changing food environment.
Sales of processed foods rose by 16 per cent between 2018 and 2023, while obesity rates have tripled since 2000.
Today, 45% of adult women and 19% of men in Kenya are considered overweight or obese.
Health experts and civil society organizations are now calling for swift implementation of the new rules to protect public health and reverse the tide of chronic disease.
“Clear labelling, reduced sugar in products, and responsible marketing are essential tools to protect consumers—especially children—from the long-term health consequences of poor diets,” said a Ministry of Health official familiar with the plan.
The new labelling system is expected to begin appearing on packaging over the coming months, as regulators work with manufacturers to enforce compliance.
