EU food law, consumer harm and ultra-processed food markets

This article examines the limitations of the European Union’s food safety framework in addressing the long-term health risks posed by UPFs. While the EU’s regulatory approach effectively mitigates immediate hazards from contamination and acute foodborne threats, it lacks provisions to address the cumulative harm from prolonged UPF consumption. This “slow harm” manifests through chronic health concerns like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, resulting from sustained intake of products low in fiber, high in sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial additives. Drawing on the “slow harm” scholarship, the article critiques how EU regulations, focused on individual product safety and consumer empowerment, inadequately protect consumers from the broader, industry-wide impacts of UPFs. It argues that the EU’s reliance on labelling and information-based consumer choice places undue responsibility on individuals, disregarding socioeconomic factors that influence dietary choices. Vulnerable groups, particularly lower-income populations, are disproportionately affected due to limited access to healthier food options. The article calls for a reframing of EU food safety law framework to integrate cumulative, industry-wide health risks and advocates for a policy shift that balances individual choice with structural protections against UPF-related health disparities. This reframing would mark a significant regulatory development, aligning EU food law with contemporary consumer protection and public health challenges.