New report on food advertising and promotions

A new report from Obesity Health Alliance, is calling for rules used to regulate food advertising and promotion to reflect the latest nutritional guidance outlined in the updated Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM).

The NPM was finalised in 2026 but has yet to be implemented, and is a key mechanism used to determine which foods are classified as high in fat, sugar, and salt, and therefore subject to restrictions on advertising and location and price promotions.

Responding to the report, ADPH President, Greg Fell OBE, said:

“The longer we go without enforcing policies that reduce the reach and impact of less healthy food and drink advertising, the more we let the health of our children, and wider communities, slip through the cracks. Advertising is one of the most prolific ways in which communities, and most concerningly, our children and young people, are enticed into buying foods and drinks high in fat, sugar, and salt.

“Implementing the new Nutrient Profiling Model to existing advertising and promotion restrictions is therefore not a matter of how, but rather, how soon we can act. Evidence shows that where restrictions have been put into place on advertising unhealthy foods and drinks, including across Transport for London services, consumption has reduced. The Government must make it a priority to apply the new standard without any further delays so that we can give every child, and our communities, the freedom to lead a healthier life free from the harms of marketing for foods high in fat, sugar, and salt.”