The model Boone uses to score every food and drink. It weighs energy, saturated fat, free sugars and salt against fibre, protein and fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Scores run from -20 to 40, and the higher the score, the less healthy the food.
All values are per 100g as sold. Portion size is not counted, so a 252g burger and a 30g snack are compared on equal weights.
A food scoring 4 or more, or a drink scoring 1 or more, would be classed as less healthy under this model. Anything below the line would not.
Taken from the 2018 technical guidance. A value must be above a band to earn its points.
| Points | Energy (kJ) | Sat fat (g) | Free sugars (g) | Salt (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | ≤ 315 | ≤ 0.9 | ≤ 0.9 | ≤ 0.2 |
| 1 | > 315 | > 0.9 | > 0.9 | > 0.2 |
| 2 | > 630 | > 1.9 | > 1.9 | > 0.5 |
| 3 | > 945 | > 2.8 | > 2.8 | > 0.7 |
| 4 | > 1,260 | > 3.7 | > 3.7 | > 0.9 |
| 5 | > 1,575 | > 4.7 | > 4.6 | > 1.1 |
| 6 | > 1,890 | > 5.6 | > 5.6 | > 1.4 |
| 7 | > 2,205 | > 6.6 | > 6.5 | > 1.6 |
| 8 | > 2,520 | > 7.5 | > 7.4 | > 1.8 |
| 9 | > 2,835 | > 8.4 | > 8.3 | > 2 |
| 10 | > 3,150 | > 9.4 | > 9.3 | > 2.3 |
| Points | Protein (g) | Fruit, veg, nuts, seeds (g) | Fibre (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | ≤ 1.7 | ≤ 40 | ≤ 0.6 |
| 1 | > 1.7 | > 40 | > 0.6 |
| 2 | > 3.4 | > 60 | > 1.2 |
| 3 | > 5.1 | > 1.8 | |
| 4 | > 6.8 | > 2.4 | |
| 5 | > 8.5 | > 80 | > 3 |
| 6 | > 3.6 | ||
| 7 | > 4.2 | ||
| 8 | > 4.8 | ||
| 9 | > 5.4 | ||
| 10 | > 6 |
If a food scores 11 or more negative points, its protein points are not counted, unless it also scores the full 5 points for fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. This stops high-protein foods that are also high in saturated fat, sugar or salt from scoring well on protein alone.
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 1,330 kJ | +4 |
| Saturated fat | 8.7g | +9 |
| Free sugars | 2.8g | +2 |
| Salt | 1.19g | +5 |
| Fibre | 1.1g | −1 |
| Fruit, veg, nuts and seeds | under 40g | 0 |
| Protein | 19.8g | 5, not counted |
Sugars naturally in milk, whole fruit and vegetables no longer count against a food.
Sugar and energy bands are lower, so high-sugar and energy-dense foods score worse.
Seeds now count alongside fruit, vegetables and nuts.
Fibre can now earn up to 10 points.
The 2018 model was published on 27 January 2026 for reference. It is not yet used for the advertising and promotion rules, which still use the 2004/05 model. A food can therefore pass one model and not the other.
Scored on the item as the restaurant or brand sells it, before optional toppings or sauces.
Boone reads the ingredient list and counts added sugars, syrups, honey and juices. Lactose from milk and sugars in whole fruit and vegetables are left out.
Where only kcal is published, Boone converts at 4.184 kJ per kcal.
Estimated from the ingredient list where proportions are not published.
Shakes and other drinks use the drinks line of 1, not 4.
Every healthiest and unhealthiest ranking on Boone uses the same score as the item page.
Scores are calculated by Boone, not published by the restaurant or brand. Full methodology →
