Which products does the WISEcode Standard exclude? (Supplements, alcohol, pet food and more)

Source: The WISEcode Standard v1.01, Section 2.3 (Exclusions) and Sections 2.3.1–2.3.4.

The short answer

The WISEcode Standard covers general consumer food products only. Some product types are explicitly excluded, including dietary supplements, alcoholic beverages, medicines, infant formula, medical foods, pet food, and unpackaged raw produce, meat and seafood. These products cannot receive Non-UPF Verification and are not classified under the Standard.

What the Standard says

Section 2.3 states that the Standard "applies exclusively to the categorization of general consumer food products based on their level of processing." It shall not be applied to categories whose "formulation requirements, regulatory frameworks, or intended uses differ fundamentally from general consumer foods."

The excluded categories are:

Specialized medical and infant nutrition (Section 2.3.1)

Infant Formula: products intended for consumption by infants (0–12 months) as a partial or sole source of nutrition.
Medical Foods: foods formulated to be consumed or administered enterally under the supervision of a physician for the specific dietary management of a disease or condition (for example, enteral formulas or meal replacements for metabolic disorders).
Formulated Liquid Diets: products intended as the sole source of nutrition for patients with limited capacity to consume or absorb ordinary foods.

Non-food consumables and supplements (Section 2.3.2)

Dietary Supplements: vitamins, minerals, herbs and their extracts, amino acids, and other products intended to supplement the diet rather than serve as a conventional food or meal, typically regulated under distinct frameworks (e.g., DSHEA in the USA).
Alcoholic Beverages: beverages containing more than 0.5% alcohol by volume.
Pharmaceuticals and Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drugs.

Animal food (Section 2.3.3)

Any food, feed, or supplements intended for consumption by pets, livestock, or other animals rather than humans.

Unpackaged raw commodities (Section 2.3.4)

Fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, fungi), meats, or seafood sold in bulk or in unpackaged form without a universal barcode/GTIN. The Wc-UPF methodology relies on standardized data inputs (e.g., GTIN/UPC) to identify the food and determine its nutrient content.

Why these exclusions exist

They do a different job than everyday food. Infant formula, medical foods and liquid diets are engineered to deliver complete or targeted nutrition. Supplements deliver specific nutrients or compounds rather than serving as a meal. A score built to describe how processed a food is would not describe them fairly.
They are regulated differently. Supplements (DSHEA in the US), medicines, alcohol, infant formula and animal feed each follow their own regulatory framework, separate from the rules for conventional foods.
They aren't meant for people, or aren't food. Pet and livestock food is formulated for animals, and medicines and alcohol are not general consumer foods.
The data isn't there. Unpackaged bulk produce, meat and seafood usually have no barcode/GTIN, which the methodology needs to identify the product and its nutrient content.

What this means for you

Brands: Products in these categories cannot be submitted for Non-UPF Verification. If your portfolio mixes general consumer foods with excluded products, only the general consumer food products are eligible. See Which Products Qualify for Non-UPF Verification.
App users: These products are outside the scope of the Standard, so they are not rated under it. This is not a judgment about a product's quality, safety, or effectiveness.
Health questions: For questions about supplements, medical nutrition, infant feeding or medications, talk with a healthcare professional.