The Ministry of Health has issued a strong warning to the public, raising serious concerns about the safety and nutritional value of many food products sold in supermarkets across Kenya. According to the ministry, a majority of the consumable goods currently available do not meet the necessary nutritional standards set by health authorities.
This warning follows the findings of the 2025 Kenya Market Assessment Report, which revealed that only 10 per cent of packaged foods in the market meet the nutritional content requirements laid out in the Kenya Nutrient Profile Model.
The report paints a worrying picture of the country’s current food consumption patterns and the risks involved.
The data shows that many Kenyans are moving away from traditional, healthy meals and are increasingly choosing packaged and processed foods.
These convenience foods, while easily accessible, are often loaded with high levels of salt, fat, and sugar, putting the health of the population at risk. The shift in diet is especially noticeable in urban centres, where processed food has become a daily staple for many families.
A separate study by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) supports these findings. It shows that up to 90 per cent of packaged food items sold in Kenyan supermarkets contain dangerously high levels of fat, salt, and sugar.
These ingredients, when consumed in excess, are directly linked to the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and obesity. This growing public health threat has now caught the government’s attention, prompting urgent calls for intervention.
In response to these alarming statistics, the Ministry of Health has announced that it is developing new regulations aimed at controlling the amount of fat, sugar, and sodium in processed foods. These regulations will apply across 21 different categories of processed food commonly consumed in the country.
Public Health and Safety Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni explained that food will be grouped based on its type—such as beverages, dairy, snacks, and cereals—and each group will have specific nutritional limits.
This method will help ensure that each category is properly monitored and regulated according to its unique nutritional profile.
The ATNI report also pointed out that nearly half of all packaged food products sold in Kenya fail to meet basic health standards. Only 32.2 per cent were identified as being healthy, yet many of the unhealthy options are misleadingly marketed as nutritious.
The study looked at a wide range of products, including soft drinks, rice, fruit juices, pasta, noodles, biscuits, confectionery, dairy items like ice cream and cheese, cereals, instant coffee, and sauces.
To tackle this problem, Muthoni said the government will be introducing stricter packaging and labelling rules for processed foods. These changes will force manufacturers to clearly display accurate information about what is inside their products.
She noted that many food items are currently sold in attractive packages with colourful designs and marketing slogans, which often give the impression that the product is healthy. However, the front-of-pack labelling often hides the truth, failing to provide consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions.
To fix this, Muthoni assured the public that the Ministry is working on reforms that will empower consumers by giving them access to clear, honest, and visible information about the foods they are buying and eating.
“This new system will ensure that Kenyans are no longer deceived by branding,” she said. “People have the right to know whether what they are eating is healthy or harmful. The goal is to give every consumer the tools they need to make smart, informed choices about their diet.”
The Ministry is expected to roll out these new rules soon, as part of a wider effort to improve public health and reduce the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in Kenya.
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