The Ministry of Health has raised serious concerns about the nutritional quality of packaged foods sold in the Kenyan market, following the release of the 2025 Kenya Market Assessment Report. According to the report, only 10% of packaged food products meet the required nutrient thresholds set by the Kenya Nutrient Profile Model, sparking urgent calls for policy reform.
The report, compiled in partnership with the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI), paints a worrying picture: 90% of packaged foods on supermarket shelves are laden with excessive fat, sugar, and salt — a key contributor to the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across the country.
“Our dietary patterns are shifting dangerously from traditional wholesome meals to overly processed and nutritionally poor foods,” warned Mary Muthoni, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards. “We now want to define and enforce maximum nutrient limits for food categories to curb this trend.”
Over 700 food and beverage products were assessed in the survey, including:
- Soft drinks, juices, and energy drinks
- Rice, pasta, noodles
- Snacks, biscuits, and confectionery
- Dairy products and ice cream
- Cooking oils and sauces
- Breakfast items like cereals and instant coffee
While only 32.8% of the items were classified as healthy, more than half failed to meet minimum nutritional standards. Alarmingly, many of these are marketed as healthier alternatives, especially products targeted at children, often featuring attractive packaging with cartoon characters.
To address the issue, the government is preparing a series of reforms aimed at empowering consumers through transparency. A key proposal is the introduction of front-of-package labelling, which would clearly indicate whether a product is healthy or not — possibly using a traffic light-style system to visually communicate nutritional quality.
“This kind of labelling will allow consumers to make informed choices at a glance,” said PS Muthoni.
The report also revealed a global inequality in nutrition: multinational food companies tend to sell less healthy products in poorer countries compared to what they offer in wealthier markets — a disparity the Kenyan government says must be addressed through better regulation and consumer awareness.
As Kenya confronts a growing public health challenge, these measures mark a crucial step toward safeguarding the nutritional well-being of its citizens and reversing the rise in diet-related illnesses.
