HFSS (High in Fat, Salt and Sugar) scores are now a mandatory metric for many food and beverage brands selling in the UK. But how exactly are these scores calculated? 

We’ve compiled a quick guide to help you calculate your product’s HFSS score and make informed product formulation decisions. 

The HFSS calculator is based on children’s advertising standards

The nutrient profile model used to determine which foods and beverages fall under HFSS was developed by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in 2004/5. 

Initially, it was provided to the broadcast regulator Ofcom to help manage restrictions on advertising ‘junk food’ to children. However, it has now become the framework for identifying HFSS products. 

‍HFSS points are calculated per 100g 

A product’s HFSS score is calculated based on 100g of food and drink, regardless of your recommended serving size. 

If your product is usually measured in millilitres (like ice cream), you should convert this measurement into grams.

If your product is reconstituted before consumption – such as custard powder, hot chocolate powder, and drinking squash – your HFSS score will be calculated based on its reconstituted nutritional profile.

However, HFSS calculations are based on the manufacturer’s instructions, so serving suggestions aren’t taken into account. So if you manufacture breakfast cereal, for example, your score will be based on the dry ingredients - excluding any milk the consumer may add. 

‍Fat, sugar and sodium score HFSS points

HFSS scores divide nutrients into two categories: A and C. 

‘A’ nutrients are energy, saturated fat, sugar and sodium. The volume of each nutrient is assigned a points score, which is added together to create a total score.

Here are the point scores for A nutrient categories:

Fibre, protein, fruits and vegetables reduce your HFSS score

Fat, sugar and sodium content is only part of your product composition, and HFSS calculations recognise this. For a fairer review, the system considers the positive impact of certain nutrients, which it calls category C. 

‘C’ nutrients are fruit, vegetable and nut content, plus fibre and protein. 

Like A nutrients, the C score for a product is calculated by assigning points to each nutrient group and adding the scores together, as per the table below:

However, there are some technicalities to note when calculating your C score:

• Only fruit and vegetables included in the 5 A DAY programme can score points – this excludes starchy vegetables such as potatoes and yams.
  
  
• Only intact or minimally processed fruit and vegetables can be included in C nutrient calculations. Minimal processing includes freezing, peeling, pureeing, slicing and tinning. Fruits and vegetables subjected to further processing (e.g. concentrated fruit juice sugars and powders) are excluded. 
  
  
• All nuts (including peanuts) can be counted, but seeds are excluded unless they are commonly regarded as nuts – for example, brazil nuts and cashew nuts.
  
  
• Coconut is calculated differently depending on which parts are used. Fresh coconut flesh should be scored as a fruit, but coconut milk and coconut water should be scored as fruit juice. Desiccated and dried block coconut are considered dried fruit. 
  
  
• Fibre scores can be calculated based on a product’s non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) total or the Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method of measuring NSP fibre and non-digestible carbohydrates. 

Importantly, if your product scores 11+ points in the A category, it can’t score points for protein in category C unless its fruit, vegetable and nut score (FVN) is 5 points or higher.

How to calculate your FVN score 

To help you calculate your fruit, vegetable and nut score, the Department for Health has put together an equation in its Nutrient Profiling Technical Guidance:

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The weight of dried fruit and vegetables and concentrated tomato puree should be multiplied by two compared to fresh fruits and vegetables. 

You can calculate the amount of fruit and vegetables based on their dried or cooked weight. However, composite foods must calculate all ingredients in the same state. For example, if you’re manufacturing a pasta bake, you can’t combine calculations for raw pasta and cooked vegetables.

Certain fruit juices count as a category C nutrient 

100% fruit juice is considered minimally processed and counts towards your C score. 

Products containing fruit juice are scored based on their overall composition. For example, a product that is 80% fruit juice or higher scores 5 points for FVN content, but a product that is 60-80% fruit juice (from concentrate) scores 2 points. 

Products containing 40-60% fruit juice score 1 point, and those with less than 40% score zero points. 

‘A’ nutrients minus ‘C’ nutrients = your HFSS score 

To get your final HFSS nutrient profile score, subtract your total C nutrient score from your A nutrient score.

If your food product scores below 4 points in total, it will not be classed as high in fat, salt and sugar. Drinks must score less than 1 point to avoid HFSS classification. 

If your food scores 4+ points or your drink scores 1+ points then it will be subject to HFSS marketing restrictions. 

The HFSS calculator applies to all categories and food groups; unlike other systems such as Nutri-Score, there are no exceptions for certain products and ingredients. 

However, there are nuances in the HFSS calculations for specific products. 

For example, any “drinking yoghurt” that meets the industry compositional standard for yoghurt is classed as food, which means its HFSS threshold is 4 points. 

However, any “yoghurt drinks” containing additional liquids are categorised as a drink, which means their HFSS threshold is 1 point. 

Combination products count as HFSS

HFSS legislation applies to a number of food and drink categories, including:

• Breakfast cereals
• Breaded and battered foods such as fish and chicken nuggets
• Cakes and cupcakes 
• Confectionery including chocolate and sweets 
• Desserts and puddings 
• Ice cream, ice lollies and frozen yoghurts 
• Morning goods such as croissants, fruit loaves and pastries
• Pizza (except plain pizza bases) 
• Prepared soft drinks containing added sugar ingredients 
• Ready meals 
• Roast potatoes, chips and novelty potato shapes (including sweet potato)
• Savoury snacks made from potato, grains, pulses or pork rinds e.g. crisps, pretzels and pork scratchings
• Sweet biscuits and bars 
• Sweetened yoghurt and fromage frais 

But what about products that feature some ingredients that aren’t subject to regulations – for example, a packaged ready meal with curry in one compartment and rice in another, or a hamper containing multiple products?

Even if one/some components are not within the HFSS scope, the product as a whole is subject to HFSS regulations. The score for the product will still need to be calculated, and restrictions may apply depending on the outcome. 

Get help with your HFSS calculations 

With so many nutrients and permutations to consider, calculating the HFSS scores for each product can feel overwhelming and time-consuming. 

While there are free HFSS calculator tools available, you may prefer to outsource the effort and responsibility of HFSS compliance to a third-party expert. 

Hooley Brown can help you determine whether your products fall under HFSS restrictions by calculating scores on your behalf. 

Set up a call with our Director Clare to get your products HFSS-ready.