Study Finds Nearly Two-Thirds of Supermarket Baby Foods Are Unhealthy

Mar. 15, 2025

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Eight stores located in Raleigh, N.C., were surveyed between March and May 2023, perForbes. They include Target, Kroger, Costco, Ahold Delhaize, Publix, Sam’s Club, Target and Aldi. Data from the two other stores, H-E-B and Safeway, was collected online.

Dr. Elizabeth Dunford, an adjunct assistant professor of nutrition at the University of North Carolina, toldCNN, “Research shows 50% of the sugar consumed from infant foods comes from pouches … those were some of the worst offenders.”

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Each product was found to have at least four prohibited claims with the most common phrases used being “organic” at 59%, “no artificial colors/flavors” at 25% and “non-genetically modified” at 70%, per Forbes.

The product names were also found to be misleading, with snack and finger foods typically coined as fruit or vegetables “despite primarily being made of flour or other starches,” Dr. Daisy Coyle, research fellow and dietician at the George Institute, said, per Forbes.

“The lack of regulation in this area leaves the door wide open for the food industry to deceive busy parents,” Coyle added in a statement, per CNN.

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“A concerned, well-meaning parent will read claims like wholesome and nutritious and will not only buy those products but spend more money on them because of the claims,” he added.

source: people.com