The Government recently announced plans to introduce an industry-wide ban on the promotion of HFSS (high in fat, sugar, and salt) foods in stores from October 2022. These restrictions will apply to both medium and large-sized retailers, with the aim of tackling the obesity epidemic.

In line with new legislation, stores will be required to phase out any offerings of multibuy promotions, such as ‘buy one get one free’ or ‘3 for 2’ discounts on HFSS items. Plus, unhealthy promotions will no longer be permitted in key locations, like checkouts and store entrances, and free refills on sugary soft drinks will be prohibited in the dining-out sector.

Here, we outline what the ban might mean for UK food and drink manufacturers now, and in the future.

The impact so far

This new proposal follows an earlier ban by Transport for London (TfL), which restricted the advertisement of HFSS foods throughout the capital’s transport network.

Since this came into effect, there’s been a reported 1,000 calorie decrease in unhealthy purchases in people’s weekly shopping. The policy seems to have had the biggest impact on chocolate and confectionary purchases, with an almost 20% decrease – equivalent to 317.9 calories weekly. This amounts to around 1.5 fewer average-sized bars of milk chocolate.

Of the results, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said, “I am pleased to see the positive impact these groundbreaking measures have had, leading to a real reduction in the amount of junk food being purchased.”

Preparing for the next phase

Multinational grocery retailer, Tesco, is already getting ahead of the curve. The supermarket giant has openly welcomed the government’s approach to tackling obesity. In fact, in February 2022, the brand announced the opening of its first store dedicated entirely to healthy food products.

On top of this, it will be launching an ‘under 100 calories’ section throughout many of its branches – with increased discounts on healthy items to boost their popularity among customers.

And Tesco isn’t the only business reformulating in preparation for the HFSS ban. YouGov reported that 48% of companies are in the process of revamping their stores’ offerings to meet the Department of Health’s legislation. But there’s still work to be done…

Support from Silven

With just six months to go until the new HFSS legislation is enforced, it’s important for organisations within the food and drink manufacturing industry to ensure they’re operating in accordance with the latest regulations. Here at Silven, we can help.

We’ve been in the recruitment industry for over a decade. In that time, we’ve provided some of the biggest and best names in the sector with experienced, dedicated staff who uphold their values and add to their business. Our service is seamless, with both permanent and interim teams designed to meet your precise needs.

For more information on how you can find top talent for your company, call us today on 0161 832 7463.