Framing the Complex Interplay of Ultra‑Processed Foods, Nutrition Labeling, and Consumer Response: A Systematic Review

In recent decades, rising rates of obesity and diet‑related chronic diseases have turned consumer food choices into a central public health issue. Increasing evidence identifies ultra‑processed foods (UPFs) as a major driver of this trend, raising concerns about how consumers perceive, select, and integrate these products into their daily diets. In response, governments and international institutions have introduced a range of policy tools aiming to influence consumer decision‑making-such as Front‑of‑Pack Nutritional Labels (FOPLs), food processing classification systems (such as NOVA), marketing restrictions, and product reformulations intended to steer choices toward healthier options. Despite recent expansion, research on consumer behavior within the UPF field remains fragmented. While many studies examine health effects or nutrient composition, fewer explore how consumers interpret food processing information, react to labelling systems, or internalize policy interventions that frame UPFs as problematic. This study conducts a systematic literature review spanning 2000–2026, leveraging PRISMA methodology. A total of 297 scientific articles were identified through Web-of-Science and Scopus and analyzed to map consumer‑oriented research trends. Results reveal a substantial and accelerating increase in publications and identify major sequential research streams: (i) consumer perceptions of food processing and health risk; (ii) behavioral responses to FOPLs; (iii) public debates on NOVA and nutrient profiling systems; and (iv) policy interventions shaping everyday food environments. Finally, it outlines future research directions to strengthen the conceptual coherence and policy relevance of the UPF field.