Is Marks & Spencer Percy Pig Sugar Reduced ultra-processed?
Yes, it's ultra-processed
- 1 Unprocessed
- 2 Kitchen staple
- 3 Processed
- 4 Ultra-processed
Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:
- 19 ingredients
- 5 additives
- Nutri-Score C
Less processed candies
Ingredients
Ultra-processing Processing
Glucose Syrup (ultra-processing marker), Sugar Maize Dextrin, Modified Potato Starch (ultra-processing marker), Maltodextrin (ultra-processing marker), Humectant (ultra-processing marker) (Sorbitol (ultra-processing marker), Modified Tapioca Starch Fruit Juice from Concentrates 3.5%, Apple), Mandarin, Elderberry, Acid (Citric Acid), Malic Acid, Lactic Acid· Potato Protein Flavourings, Fruit Concentrates (Elderberry, Red Grape), Glazing Agent (ultra-processing marker) (Beeswax (ultra-processing marker))
Additives: E1400 Dextrin , E296 Malic acid , E330 Citric acid , E420 Sorbitol , E901 White and yellow beeswax
As written on the pack
Glucose Syrup · Sugar Maize Dextrin · Modified Potato Starch · Maltodextrin · Humectant: Sorbitol · Modified Tapioca Starch Fruit Juice from Concentrates (3.5%) (Apple, Mandarin, Elderberry) · Acid: Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Lactic Acid· Potato Protein Flavourings · Fruit Concentrates (Elderberry, Red Grape) · Glazing Agent: Beeswax.
What makes it ultra-processed
Cosmetic additives
Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.
- E1400 Dextrin Dextrin is starch partly broken down by heat or acid, used as a thickener, binder and coating.
- E420 Sorbitol Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener and to keep products moist.
- E901 White and yellow beeswax A food additive used to dissolve, dilute, disperse or otherwise physically modify a food additive or nutrient without altering its function -and without exerting any technological effect itself- in order to facilitate its handling, application or use of the food additive or nutrient.
- Glazing agent Glazing agents, waxes and shellac for example, coat a surface to make it shiny or stop pieces sticking together.
- Humectant Humectants are substances which prevent foods from drying out by counteracting the effect of an atmosphere having a low degree of humidity, or promote the dissolution of a powder in an aqueous medium.
- Modified starch Modified starch is starch altered physically, with enzymes or chemically, so that it thickens, gels or survives freezing and heating better than ordinary starch.
Substances rarely used in home kitchens
Refined or extracted in factories, such as syrups made from starch or isolated proteins. The other hallmark of ultra-processed food.
- Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
- Glucose syrup Glucose syrup is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
- Maltodextrin Maltodextrin is a white powder made by partly breaking down starch.
3 ingredients that would only make it processed
Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.
- Candies Products in the category "Candies" are at least group 3.
- Starch Starch extracted from cereals or potatoes, used to thicken.
- Sweet snacks Products in the category "Sweet snacks" are at least group 3.
Among 119 gummi candies
From least to most processed, this one ranks 82nd. 99% of the gummi candies here are ultra-processed.
About this information
- Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 00497688, last edited 13 March 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
- Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
- NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of C (from A, best, to E).
- General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.