Affordability and Processing Concerns Reshape Grocery Carts, Report Finds

Perceptions of food processing, ingredient preferences and affordability are shaping US grocery buying decisions, according to FoodMinds’ 2026 Conscious Consumption Index.

The survey of 1,000 US adults responsible for household grocery shopping found that 54% said they started buying or increased purchases of a food or beverage over the past year because it appeared less processed, contained fewer additives or included preferred ingredients. Meanwhile, 46% said they stopped buying or reduced purchases for reasons tied to processing, additives or ingredients they wanted...

New Competere Report Calls for a Shift Beyond Ultra-Processed Food Definitions

As governments and health authorities intensify efforts to define ultra-processed foods (UPFs), a new Competere policy guide argues that policymakers may be asking the wrong question: rather than seeking the perfect definition, prevention should move beyond classification itself.

The paper proposes a different policy path: replace the search for a universal UPF definition with dynamic decision support that combines product characteristics, quantity, frequency, individual needs, and lifestyle using emerging digital and AI-enabled tools.

Ultra-Processed Foods — Beyond Oversimplification: From Classification to Smarter Prevention, authored by Competere Chair Pietro Paganini, is designed as a practical tool for...

Nobody Can Define “Ultra-Processed.” Washington Wants to Regulate It Anyway.

No agreed-upon definition. No consistent science. Just a new label – and higher costs at the grocery store.

Can’t Regulate What You Can’t Define

There is no single agreed-upon, science-based definition of “ultra-processed food.” Not among researchers. Not among regulators. “Ultra-processed” is a grab-bag term that throws wildly different foods into one bucket, and you don’t build a federal mandate on a term nobody can pin down.

Regulating a Turkey Sandwich the Same as a Slice of Cake Makes...

RFK Cooking Show? HHS Launches Cooking Series Centered on “Real Food” Message, and More

On July 30, US Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr. launched “The Real Food Show,” according to a press release. The new cooking series will be aimed at helping Americans prepare healthy, affordable meals at home using whole-food ingredients. 

Kennedy announced the initiative at Fort Drum during the opening of the Belvedere Bistro, a military dining facility operated by Compass Group as part of Chef Robert Irvine’s food modernization effort for US bases. 

Cal-Maine Foods Reports Mixed Quarterly Results Amid Shifting Egg Market Dynamics

Company updates and financial results are circulating in headlines as many introduce a fresh quarter.

Cal-Maine checked in with its latest report showing a mix in its performance for the period fueled by 2025's supply-demand imbalances and historic prices.

"Despite the impact of eggs prices, we believe our performance in the second quarter and first half of the fiscal year demonstrates strength and momentum" said Sherman Miller, president and chief executive officer of Cal-Maine Foods. He continued, " We expect the...