Today marks a major milestone for food policy: the long-awaited volume-price (multi-buy) restrictions in England on unhealthy products are coming into force, as part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan to launch a ‘moonshot to end the obesity epidemic’. These long-delayed rules are a crucial step in tackling impulse purchases of unhealthy products, helping families spend their money on the foods they actually need, rather than being nudged toward less healthy options. As reported on the BBC: ‘Buy one, get one free’ deals for unhealthy food banned’.
The also long-delayed and diluted less healthy food and drink advertising restrictions are being adopted voluntarily today, but must come into force on 5 January 2026. With sweeping brand exemptions leaving children exposed, the Government must go further if it is to achieve its ambition of restricting junk food advertising targeted at children.
Location-based (checkout) restrictions have already been in place for the past two years and have proven equitable and effective at reducing unhealthy purchases.
Katharine Jenner, Executive Director, Obesity Health Alliance, says:
“This is a big day for food policy – and, most importantly, for children’s health. The restrictions, first announced in Boris Johnson’s 2020 obesity strategy and supported by our Obesity Health Alliance members, are finally coming into force.
“The end of multi-buy promotions on junk food is especially important: these deals are a false economy, pushing people to spend more of their hard-earned money on foods they didn’t plan to buy, and that don’t support their health. Families should be able to shop for the foods they actually need, not be prompted to add less healthy products they don’t. These new rules will help protect household budgets as well as children’s health.
“We also welcome the industry’s voluntary adoption of the less healthy advertising restrictions until they become statutory on 5 January 2026 – and we expect all advertisers to follow both the spirit and the letter of the law.”
Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive, Cancer Research UK says:
“What we eat and drink can be heavily influenced by the world around us, so we welcome these long-awaited restrictions on junk food advertising and promotions.”
“The UK Government and regulators must act decisively to create an environment that empowers healthy lifestyle changes and ensures children aren’t exposed to harmful content. These new marketing restrictions should be robustly enforced alongside bold action that will make healthy diets more accessible and help to reduce people’s risk of cancer in the future.”
What are the new changes?
1) Volume-price (multi-buy) restrictions in England
The volume-price (multi-buy) restrictions in England, which stops promotions such as “buy one get one free” on unhealthy products sold in large retailers, and ends free refills of soft drinks, comes into force today [3].
These rules change retail incentives that drive impulse buying and over-consumption, and only apply to less healthy foods and drinks within categories that contribute the most calories to children’s diets, not to staples (see below). The government’s own impact assessment and long-standing evidence show price promotions encourage higher spending and consumption rather than savings [3]. Retailers can and should use promotions to support healthier options instead.
2) Less healthy advertising in the UK: voluntary commitments
A number of trade bodies and media owners have signed a voluntary agreement to “abide” by restrictions on advertising less healthy food on TV before 9pm, and paid-for online at any time, ahead of the statutory start on January 5th 2026. Signatories include the Advertising Association, COBA, AOP, BRC, Channel 4, Disney, FDF, Guardian Media Group, ISBA, IPA, IAB UK, ITV, NMA, Paramount, Reach Plc, Sky, STV, The Sun, techUK, The Times and The Sunday Times [2].
The voluntary approach is welcome but not a substitute for law – it is unenforceable. We will be closely monitoring adverts for depictions of ‘less healthy’ products on TV before 9pm, and on paid-for online advertising at any time in the UK. We will also respond to the Advertising Standards Authority consultation on guidance for advertisers, to try to limit the impact of the sweeping brand exemption [4].
3) Location-based (e.g. checkouts) restrictions in England – Evidence that regulation works
Independent evaluation shows the 2022 placement restrictions, which were meant to be introduced at the same time as the volume-based restrictions, have already driven meaningful change. New research from the University of Leeds estimates around two million fewer unhealthy products were sold per day after the placement rules came into force – a clear, equitable change in purchasing that demonstrates regulations work [5].
What counts as in-scope products?
Categories in scope include sugary soft drinks, confectionery, cakes, breakfast cereals, savoury snacks, ready meals, sweet biscuits, morning goods, and desserts. Products only fall inside scope if they fail to meet the government’s nutrient profiling model thresholds and are high in fat, sugar, and/or salt (HFSS). For the advertising restrictions, the advert must also identify a product consumers can buy [3].
What we are asking the Government to do now
- Bring in the statutory advertising restrictions on 5 January 2026 and resist further delay or dilution [1].
- Ensure enforcement: monitor compliance for both advertising and multi-buy rules, including how industry uses the generic, brand and ‘brand of ranges’, exemptions[4].
- Tighten and extend: commit to rapid fixes in 2026 to close the generic and brand exemption loopholes; widen the nutrition criteria and categories where evidence supports this; and set a timeline to end unhealthy-food advertising to children across media by the end of this Parliament [1,4].
References
- Ministerial statement HCWS917 — Less Healthy Food and Drink: Advertising Restrictions (10 Sep 2025), UK Parliament
- Industry voluntary agreement — Advertising Association (list of signatories)
- DHSC (2020) Restricting volume promotions for high fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) products: Impact Assessment, GOV.UK
- DHSC/GOV.UK (2025) Guidance and consultation on brand advertising exemption and enforcement
- University of Leeds (2025) Positive impact of supermarket junk food restrictions revealed