England Introduces Ban on Multibuy Promotions for Unhealthy Foods
From today, new rules have come into force in England restricting multibuy price promotions on unhealthy food and drink.
The legislation prevents retailers from offering deals such as “buy one get one free” or "3 for 2" on products high in salt, sugar and fat (HFSS), and also bans free refills of soft drinks in large outlets, marking an important step towards creating healthier food environments.
The restrictions on multibuy promotions follow years of industry lobbying and a series of repeated pushbacks and delays. Multibuy promotions have long been shown to drive impulse purchasing, leading shoppers to purchase almost 20% more than they otherwise would, and pushing families towards foods unnecessarily high in salt and sugar. This behaviour increases the risk of a wide range of diet-related diseases, with these new rules being designed to help curb this trend.
We have already seen the positive impact of restrictions on in-store product placement, and with only 4% of current multibuy offers covering fruit and vegetables, this ban is expected to encourage retailers to promote healthier staples instead. Doing so will improve accessibility for those that need it most, and play a vital role in reducing obesity and other diet-related conditions such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
Sonia Pombo, Head of Research and Impact (Action on Salt) based at Queen Mary University of London joined alongside many other NGOs in welcoming the policy, saying: "Food retailers owe it to their customers to make healthier choices easier and free from subtle influence, pressure, and marketing coercion. These new multibuy restrictions are a vital step towards that.
These long overdue restrictions have been delayed time and again by relentless industry lobbying, but we strongly welcome their introduction today. Multibuy offers drive families towards foods high in salt and sugar, fuelling obesity and other diet-related diseases. This ban is a vital step to make healthier choices the easier choices.”
