Stricter rules on advertising less healthy foods came into force in the UK in 2026. The regulator’s initial decisions suggest that the key factor is the identifiability of specific products.
Since the start of 2026, the UK has tightened regulations on advertising for foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS). The first decisions by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) show that the interpretation of the new rules is relatively strict and primarily affects retail campaigns and influencer marketing.
The new rules ban advertising for so-called ‘less healthy’ foods (LHF) on television between 5.30 am and 9.00 pm and online without any time restrictions. The regulation applies to products that fall into selected categories, such as sweets, sweetened drinks, cereals, pizzas or ready meals, and which do not meet nutritional criteria.
Among the first cases assessed was a Lidl campaign on Instagram. According to the regulator, this campaign breached the rules, even though the advertiser described it as general brand communication. In the video, an influencer presented specific bakery products in detail, including a product that fell into the less healthy food category. It was precisely this product’s clear identifiability that was decisive, according to the authority.
The online campaign by the Iceland chain met a similar fate. It combined several products, some of which were not subject to regulation. However, the advert also featured confectionery and sweet snacks, which are classified as less healthy foods. In this case too, the regulator found a breach of the rules, as these products were clearly recognisable in the advert.
Conversely, not all complaints were upheld. An advert by the travel agency On the Beach, which featured a doughnut, did not breach the rules. According to the regulator, the food item was not the main message of the campaign and viewers did not perceive it as promoting a specific product. Similarly, the campaign by the German Doner Kebab chain was cleared, as the promoted products did not fall into the category of less healthy foods and other items were only marginal in the shots.
These initial decisions thus suggest that the key criterion is primarily whether a specific less healthy product is clearly identifiable in the advertisement. It is not sufficient to argue on the basis of the general nature of the campaign or its combination with other products.
The new regulation is part of the UK government’s broader effort to tackle childhood obesity. From a marketing perspective, however, it also brings significant changes that may influence the nature of food advertising, particularly in the digital environment and on social media.
