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Action on Sugar

Government delays restrictions on multibuy deals and advertising on TV and online

Published:

The government have announced delays to flagship health policies that would have helped protect the nation’s health.

Rules banning multibuy deals on foods and drinks high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) - including buy one get one free (BOGOF), ‘3 for 2’, and restrictions on free refills for soft drinks - will be delayed for a year. The restrictions banning HFSS adverts on TV before 9pm and paid-for adverts online will also be paused for a year, meaning they come into force January 2024.

Reasons for the delay include the need for “government to review and monitor the impact of the restrictions on the cost of living in light of an unprecedented global economic situation” and “a growing recognition that the industry needs more time to prepare”.

The government’s own evidence showed that multibuy promotions are effective at influencing purchases and tend to be applied to less healthy options, rather than everyday store cupboard essentials. Crucially, the government found that multibuy promotions lead shoppers to buy almost 20% more than they otherwise would – going against the supposed reason for delay, i.e. the cost of living crisis.

Restrictions on the placement of less healthy products will still come into force in October 2022 as planned.

 

Professor Graham MacGregor, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Queen Mary University of London and Chair of Action on Sugar and Action on Salt, said: “Boris Johnson could have left a legacy of being the first Prime Minister to address obesity in a meaningful way, particularly in restricting advertising and promotion of unhealthy food which were one of his flagship policies. Instead, he has given in to his own MPs, and an aggressive food industry, who, ironically, were starting to comply  with these new policies.

“This completely contradicts the government’s levelling up ambitions. It will also massively impact the NHS and the nation’s health, which will suffer the consequences and escalating cost of treating obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and tooth decay - all linked to our very high and unnecessary sugar, salt and saturated fat intakes, which the food industry is entirely responsible for.”

 

 

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