Does Australia have a lot of processed food?

December 18, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2024 review, Australians derive a significant portion of their daily energy intake from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), with some studies reporting figures as high as 42%. This growing reliance on convenient, pre-packaged meals raises concerns about whether Australia has a lot of processed food and what this trend means for public health.

Quick Summary

Australian processed food consumption is high, with national data revealing a significant portion of energy intake comes from ultra-processed items. Health experts express concern over the dietary shift and the potential long-term impacts on public health, highlighting rising rates of chronic conditions.

Key Points

High Consumption of UPFs: A substantial portion of the average Australian's energy intake comes from ultra-processed foods.
Economic and Convenience Factors: Rising cost of living and a desire for convenience are key drivers behind the increased consumption of cheaper processed foods.
Significant Health Risks: Studies link high ultra-processed food intake to serious health issues, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and mental health disorders.
Whole Foods are Displaced: Australians are consuming less fresh produce, like vegetables and fruit, while consuming more snacks and convenience meals.
Action is Needed: Reducing processed food intake requires a multi-pronged approach involving individual dietary changes and broader public health policy reforms.
Processed vs. Ultra-Processed: It's crucial to differentiate between minimally processed foods (like canned beans) and ultra-processed items, which contain extensive additives.

The Rise of Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods in Australia

The Australian diet has undergone a notable transformation over recent decades, with convenience and shelf-life often taking precedence over nutritional value. The increasing prevalence of processed foods is not just a perception but a well-documented trend reflected in national dietary studies. Many factors contribute to this shift, from lifestyle changes to powerful marketing, and a deeper look reveals some concerning statistics.

What National Data Reveals

Statistics from authoritative sources like the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the CSIRO confirm Australia's significant reliance on processed foods. The term 'processed food' can range from simple modifications like canned vegetables to complex industrial concoctions. It is the ultra-processed category, defined by the NOVA classification system, that poses the greatest concern. These are industrial formulations often containing ingredients not typically found in a home kitchen, such as hydrogenated oils, modified starches, and various cosmetic additives.

In 2023-24, discretionary foods—many of which are ultra-processed—contributed approximately 38.5% of Australia's total dietary energy. While this is a slight decrease from previous figures, projections from CSIRO indicate a worrying future, with discretionary food consumption predicted to increase by 18% by 2030. This suggests that Australians are not only consuming a lot of processed food but are on a trajectory to consume even more.

Factors Driving Processed Food Consumption

Several interconnected factors explain why Australia has a lot of processed food in its diet:

Convenience and Time: For many busy Australians, processed foods offer a quick, easy, and time-saving solution for meals and snacks. Frozen meals, instant noodles, and packaged snacks require minimal preparation.
Cost of Living: As economic pressures mount, many households turn to cheaper processed alternatives. Instant noodles and other shelf-stable processed goods are often more affordable than fresh produce, meat, and dairy.
Palatability and Addictive Nature: Ultra-processed foods are scientifically engineered to be 'hyper-palatable,' stimulating the brain's reward system with a potent combination of fat, sugar, and salt. This makes them hard to resist and can drive overconsumption.
Effective Marketing: Food companies invest heavily in marketing campaigns that position processed foods as attractive and desirable, from eye-catching packaging to strategic placement in supermarkets.

The Health Implications of a Processed Food Diet

The high consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods in Australia is strongly associated with numerous adverse health outcomes. These products often replace more nutritious whole foods, leading to diets that are high in energy, sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, but low in fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

Chronic Disease Risks

A 2024 review found that high ultra-processed food intake is associated with an increased risk of 32 adverse health outcomes, including heart disease, anxiety, and type 2 diabetes. For example, a 2020 study using data from the 2011–2012 Australian National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey found a significant association between higher ultra-processed food consumption and increased obesity and abdominal obesity prevalence among adults. The high levels of sugar, salt, and saturated fat found in these products are key contributors to these chronic health problems.

Impact on Overall Diet Quality

Even when Australians are consuming less overall food by weight, they are not necessarily eating healthier. Data has shown that over five years, consumption of unhealthy discretionary foods like potato chips and chocolate has risen, while consumption of vegetables has seen a significant drop. This demonstrates a displacement of healthy, nutrient-dense foods by processed alternatives.

Minimally Processed vs. Ultra-Processed Foods

Not all processed foods are equal. The NOVA classification system differentiates between four levels of processing, highlighting that some processed items can still be nutritious.


Feature	Minimally Processed Food (NOVA 1 & 2)	Ultra-Processed Food (NOVA 4)
Processing Level	Basic modifications like freezing, canning, or pasteurization to preserve or prepare.	Extensive industrial processing, often involving multiple stages and ingredients.
Ingredients	Few to no added ingredients; primarily based on whole foods (e.g., frozen vegetables, canned beans, dried fruit).	Long lists of ingredients, including industrial additives, colours, flavours, and chemically modified substances.
Nutritional Profile	Retains much of the original nutritional content (e.g., vitamins, minerals, fibre).	Often high in added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats; low in fibre and micronutrients.
Common Examples	Frozen fruit, canned fish, wholemeal bread with minimal additives.	Soft drinks, packaged snacks, sugary cereals, chicken nuggets, instant soups.

The Way Forward for Healthier Eating

Addressing Australia's high processed food intake requires a multi-faceted approach involving individual choices and broader public health initiatives.

Prioritise Whole Foods: Building meals around unprocessed and minimally processed ingredients is key. Shopping primarily from the fresh produce, meat, and dairy sections of the supermarket can help.
Become a Label Detective: Reading ingredient lists and understanding nutrition information panels can help identify and limit ultra-processed items.
Cook from Scratch: Increasing cooking skills and preparing more meals at home gives you control over ingredients and nutrients. Bulk-cooking and freezing leftovers is a convenient way to avoid relying on packaged meals.
Advocate for Policy Changes: Supporting public health policies, such as better labelling, marketing restrictions, and potentially taxation on unhealthy products, can create a healthier food environment. The Australian Government's Department of Health also focuses on reducing salt, fat, and sugar in processed food.

Conclusion

To the question, 'Does Australia have a lot of processed food?', the answer is a resounding yes. A significant portion of the Australian diet is comprised of ultra-processed items, a trend driven by convenience, cost, and palatability. This dietary pattern contributes to a high prevalence of chronic health conditions. However, through informed individual choices and supporting public health policies, it is possible to reverse this trend and promote a healthier, more balanced diet for all Australians.

Frequently Asked Questions

Processed food involves basic methods like freezing or canning to preserve and is often still nutritious (e.g., canned beans). Ultra-processed food, however, uses extensive industrial techniques and additives, resulting in products typically high in fat, sugar, and salt, with low nutritional value.

Experts estimate that ultra-processed foods account for a large portion of Australians' diets, with some figures suggesting up to 42% of daily energy intake comes from these items. This percentage has seen concerning trends of late.

High consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to an increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. They are also linked to an increased risk of mental health disorders and can lead to overconsumption.

Common examples include packaged snacks, sugary cereals, soft drinks, instant noodles, frozen ready-meals, processed meats like sausages, and many commercial baked goods and pizzas.

You can reduce intake by cooking more meals at home using whole ingredients, choosing minimally processed alternatives (like frozen fruit instead of sugary snacks), and reading food labels to identify and avoid products with long lists of unfamiliar additives.

People rely on processed foods due to factors like convenience, affordability, and taste. Many ultra-processed items are cheaper than fresh food and are designed to be highly palatable and even addictive, making them appealing to busy, budget-conscious consumers.

No, not all processed foods are unhealthy. Minimally processed foods, such as frozen vegetables, canned legumes, and plain yogurt, can still be a nutritious part of a healthy diet. The key is to differentiate between these and ultra-processed items.

The NOVA classification system is a widely used method that categorises foods into four groups based on their level of processing: Group 1 (unprocessed), Group 2 (minimally processed), Group 3 (processed), and Group 4 (ultra-processed). It helps identify and understand the industrial nature of different food products.