Where did my promotions go and what is HFSS?
Updated: May 24
Since October 2022, certain products which are High in Salt, Sugar and Fat (HFSS) are no longer allowed to be prominently promoted.
Supermarkets use their central aisles to boldly promote special offer items on end plinths, but items falling under the HFSS listing can no longer be promoted there by law.
Supermarkets have moved these products to offer areas within the aisle or by increasing their normal non promotional space.
The intention is to make HFSS categories less visible, so less likely to be bought as an impulse purchase.
Categories affected are:
Soft drinks
Cakes
Chocolate confectionery
Sugar confectionery
Ice cream
Morning goods (e.g. pastries, croissants)
Puddings
Sweet biscuits
Breakfast cereals
Yoghurts
Milk-based drinks with added sugar
Juice-based drinks with added sugar
Pizza
Ready meals
Meal centres including breaded and battered products
Crisps
Savoury snacks
Chips and similar potato products
Free refills of sugar sweetened drinks (in restaurants and coffee shops also in scope)
To be an HFSS product, it must follow the 2004/2005 Food Standards Agency calculation mix of (Energy kJ, saturated fat (g), total sugar (g) and sodium (mg)) versus (fruit, vegetable and nut (%), fibre NSP/AOAC (g) and protein (g)). per 100g. A food score of 4 or more and drink score of 1 or more is classified as a HFSS product.
