After all that, HFSS promotions ban scrapped in UK

The UK plans to row back on some HFSS promotions bans.

(Image: Getty/Adene Sanchez)

The U-turn won’t happen immediately, and food makers should still prepare for the banQuick bites

UK to scrap HFSS rules on price deals and store placementBrands like Kellanova and PepsiCo have already reformulated to be HFSS compliantNew rules may require health sales reporting and energy drink bans for kidsFood and drink makers have long been preparing for the UK’s incoming promotions ban on products high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS). And now, it’s being ditched.

Greenlight for junk food buy-one-get-one-free promotions?The new ban won’t be scrapped immediately.

The policy, restricting volume price promotions such as buy-one-get-one-free deals on junk food, will go ahead as planned, with enforcement starting from 1 October this year.

The new ban joins another limiting how junk food is sold in supermarkets: since October 2023, HFSS products have been banned from being displayed in prominent locations in stores.

But UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is not convinced by either. In his new 10 Year Health Plan for England, he notes that with “smarter regulation, focused on outcomes”, the government expects to repeal legislation restricting both volume price promotions and aisle placement.

How have food makers been reformulating ahead of the ban?Reformulation efforts have been in full swing ahead of the HFSS bans. In recent years, many manufacturers have either renovated existing recipes to be HFSS compliant, or brought out new products that already comply with the junk food promotions ban.

Examples include Mars-owned Kind’s Breakfast Almond Butter bar. The brand made the bar HFSS compliant by switching nuts (which can boost fat content above the HFSS limit) with oats, millet, buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa.

Kellogg’s, which now trades as Kellanova, is another business to rethink formulations ahead of the bans. The company cut sugar content by 10% across its children’s cereal range, making them all non-HFSS. It also announced plans to cut salt content in Special K cereal to make it HFSS compliant. Others in its portfolio were already non-HFSS, including Coco Pops, Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies.

Innovation was also seen from PepsiCo, which reformulated Doritos to make them HFSS compliant.

What other policies will impact food and beverage in UK?A host of policies impacting food manufacturers and retailers has also been announced – all as part of the government’s effort to stamp out obesity.

Also read → Big Food to reveal how much of its sales are healthy – and notA big one is an incoming requirement for all big food businesses to report on healthy food sales. Once that’s disclosed, the government will set targets to boost the healthiness of sales, making the average shopping basket of goods sold “slightly” healthier.

It’s thought that making small changes, such as removing just 216 calories a day from diets, could see obesity levels halved in the UK.

Other new interventions on the table include a ban on selling of high-caffeine energy drinks to children. The UK is also considering adding mandatory health warnings and nutritional information on alcohol.