Ultra-processed foods: The industry is poisoning us, while the government looks the other way

This is no longer a hypothesis. It is a scientific certainty. A group of 43 international researchers compiled data from 104 long-term studies on ultra-processed foods. The result: 92 out of 104 studies show a clear link between high consumption of these products and at least one health problem—obesity, depression, cardiovascular disease, and chronic inflammation. The body literally treats these foods as foreign substances. Tests and Tips

And yet. Today, ultra-processed foods account for 6 out of every 10 products in French supermarkets. They hide behind reassuring packaging and labels such as “high in fiber,” “preservative-free,” and “source of protein.” They deceive, they entice, they’re addictive. And the government, for its part, is slow to act. Foodwatch

The proof? After a two-year wait, the government published its National Strategy for Food, Nutrition, and Climate—from which any mention of limiting ultra-processed foods, though initially planned, has quietly disappeared. This backtracking is reportedly due to a request from the Ministry of Agriculture, under pressure from agri-food lobbies. Public Sénat

Profits for the industry, healthcare costs for taxpayers. In the face of this inaction, Yuka, Foodwatch, and France Assos Santé have joined forces in a petition titled “Too Many Ultra-Processed Foods” : “Let's protect our health!”, which gathered nearly 94,000 signatures. Sciencepost

What we put on our plates is a political issue. Every ultra-processed product we buy is a victory for those who prioritize their bottom line over our health. It's time to take back control—on store shelves, at the polls, and on our plate