Competere has submitted a position letter to the California State Assembly’s Health Committee on the proposed Assembly Bill (AB) No. 2244, introducing the “California Certified” food standard. While welcoming the attention to public health, our contribution highlights key scientific and policy concerns at the core of the proposal. It emphasises the need for policies grounded in knowledge and responsibility, rather than approaches that discourage specific foods or ingredients through classifications, taxation, or certification schemes. 

Download the full position letter

The Proposal at Glance

On 25 March 2026, Jesse Gabriel, a Democratic member of the California State Assembly, introduced AB No. 2244, proposing the creation of a ‘California Certified’ seal for non-ultra-processed foods (UPFs). 

Companies would be able to apply for certification from accredited bodies starting in 2028, with renewal every three years. Large retailers must also be required to give greater in-store visibility to certified products.

The Limits of UPF-based Certification

The proposed “California Certified” seal is grounded in the concept of UPFs, a category that still lacks a clear and universally accepted scientific definition. As an evolving and heterogeneous classification, UPFs risk being used more as a descriptive or ideological tool than as a robust basis for identifying health risks.

Building certification schemes on this foundation may lead to unintended consequences: 

• It conflates processing with nutritional quality, leading to inconsistent treatment of foods with different nutritional profiles and similar health impacts.
• It creates regulatory uncertainty, generating instability for producers, retailers, and certification bodies.
• It risks penalising safe and widely used ingredients, as well as essential technologies that ensure food safety, preservation, accessibility, and quality.

Looking Beyond Food Alone

Obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are complex, multifactorial conditions. Nutrition is only one part of a broader picture that includes physical activity, lifestyle habits, and emerging factors such as digital environments and sedentary behaviour – explored in our recent policy paper on “Ultra-Scrolling Social.”

Focusing policy efforts primarily on categorising foods risks oversimplifying this complexity and diverting attention from broader determinants of health. Evidence from Europe and Latin America also suggests that simplified tools such as front-of-pack labelling schemes have had limited impact on obesity and health outcomes, while potentially increasing costs and reducing consumer choice.

A More Effective Path Forward

A more comprehensive and balanced approach is needed. Rather than prescriptive classifications or restrictive measures, effective policies should empower consumers, promote education, and encourage innovation. 

The concept of balance – combining dietary variety, moderation, and active lifestyles – remains central. This principle, reflected in models such as the Mediterranean diet, offers a flexible and culturally adaptable framework that could also inspire policy approaches in California. 

California has the opportunity to lead by example, advancing policies that empower citizens rather than constrain choice. Ensuring scientific robustness, regulatory clarity, and proportionality will be essential.