The Erudus HFSS Calculator

Here’s everything you need to know about the Erudus HFSS calculator:

What is the HFSS calculator?

The HFSS is a new feature to Erudus, and allows Manufacturers to assess whether their food or drink product is classified as High in Fat, Sugar, or Salt (HFSS) according to the UK government's Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM).

Essentially, the calculator is a tool that automates the complex scoring system developed by the Department of Health to give a single numerical score, based on the product's nutritional composition per 100g/ml.

What is HFSS?

HFSS stands for “High in Fat, Sugar or Salt”, and it is a status assigned to food or drinks products that meet this criteria as defined by the UK government's Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM). This model is used to identify products considered "less healthy" and thus subject to restrictions on promotions and their placement in certain physical and online marketplaces. You can find out more about HFSS in our simple guide here.

You can see it open on Erudus below:

Who is the HFSS calculator for?

This calculator is a new feature for our Manufacturer users. Those who aren’t currently aware of the HFSS status of their products can now engage the new tool to more easily provide this information to the rest of the supply chain using Erudus.

How do you access the HFSS calculator?

You access the HFSS calculator via the Manufacturer Dashboard on your Erudus account - there is a new “Tools” section that has been added where you can select the HFSS calculator, or alternatively, when completing a product specification there is a button next to the HFSS attributes that will open the HFSS calculator in a separate web browser tab.

How does the HFSS calculator work?

The HFSS calculator works by using the Food Standards Agency’s nutrient profiling model to determine the score of a product. Scores are calculated by awarding points to specific nutrients based on the amount of a nutrient in a product.

The model operates on a points-based system, balancing 'A' points (negative, or less healthy nutrients) against 'C' points (positive, or beneficial nutrients).

This is how it breaks down:

Step 1: Calculate 'A' Points (Negative Nutrients)

Points are awarded for the content of the following per 100g of the product:

• Energy (in kJ)
• Saturated Fat (g)
• Total Sugar (g)
• Sodium (mg)

Higher content of these nutrients results in a higher 'A' score.

Step 2: Calculate 'C' Points (Positive Nutrients)

Points are awarded for the content of the following per 100g of the product:

• Fruit, Vegetables, and Nuts (FVN) (%)
• Fibre (g)
• Protein (g)

Important Note (The Protein Cap)

If a product scores 11 or more 'A' points and does not achieve the maximum 5 points for FVN content, the points scored for Protein are excluded from the 'C' score deduction. Ultimately, the total score for the C Nutrients is deducted from the total score of the A nutrients to give the overall score for the product.

A product is considered high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) if it scores 4 or more for a food product or 1 or more for a drink product

Higher content of these beneficial nutrients results in a higher 'C' score, which ultimately reduces the final HFSS score.

Step 3: Calculate the Final HFSS Score

The final score is calculated by subtracting the 'C' points from the 'A' points:

(Final HFSS Score) = (Total 'A' points) - (Total 'C' points)

What do the calculator’s scores mean?

The final numerical score of a product determines whether that product is classified as being High in Fat, Sugar or Salt (after the nutritional data per 100g/ml of the product).

For Foods: A product is classified as HFSS if the final score is 4 or more

For Drinks: A product is classified as HFSS if the final score is 1 or more

Are all food and drink products in scope for HFSS scoring or are there exceptions?

The legislation that restricts HFSS food and drink from being placed or advertised in physical and online marketplaces does not cover every food and drink product. You can find out more, including which foods and drinks are exempt, here.

Why have Erudus introduced the HFSS calculator?

At Erudus we are always looking for ways to add value to our users and help drive efficiencies within their businesses.

Although the legislation has now been in play for several years, the conversation about HFSS products is still ongoing and we can see how a product’s HFSS status can impact its position on both physical and digital store shelves.

This has led to an increasing number of Wholesalers and Retailers wanting to know the HFSS status of the products they are selling - to ensure compliance with the government's Food Promotion and Placement Regulations.

Introducing an HFSS calculator to the Erudus platform allows Manufacturers to both calculate and communicate this HFSS information to the rest of the supply chain using Erudus.

When is the HFSS calculator going live?

The calculator is live now in Erudus and ready for use.

Where can I find out more?

If you are looking to find out more about the Erudus HFSS calculator specifically, you can contact our Support Team via email, support@erudus.com or phone 0333 121 8999. And our online user manual Knowledge Base just got a major upgrade and is the best resource for all things Erudus.

If you’d like more information on the the FSA's Nutrient Profiling Model and HFSS legislation guidance that were used to inform the implementation of this calculator you can find them at the links below:

FSA - Nutrient Profiling Technical Guidance

HFSS Restrictions - What Food is in Scope?