New UK food policy: A step in the right direction

At the start of October, England enforced a ban on ‘Buy one, Get one’ products and other multi-purchase promotions on unhealthy foods and drinks. This legislation affects supermarkets, restaurants, online retailers, and more; it marks one of the most significant crackdowns on the consumption and marketing of high-fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) foods in the country’s history.  

According to the Department of Health and Social Care, these regulations are designed to tackle the rising obesity rates that are a major concern across the country, particularly amongst children. In fact, as per the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP), it was found that in England 9.6% of children aged between four and five were obese in 2023/24 and further 12.4% were overweight. These proportions were higher among children aged 10–11, with 19% being obese and 13% overweight. The problem extends even further with adults. The second part of the Health Survey for England 2022, published by NHS England, found that 14% of those aged 16–24 were obese, compared to 36% for those aged 55–64. 

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) believes that: “Obesity robs children of the best possible start in life, sets them up for a lifetime of health problems and costs the NHS billions.”  

Health experts have largely welcomed the current reforms

Despite its recent enforcement, the proposal was made years ago. Its implementation, however, was delayed because of the cost-of-living crisis, with the only notable change being a sugar tax on soft drinks introduced by the Conservatives in 2018.  

Now the government seems to be tightening its rules. Beginning in January 2026, unhealthy food and drink will also face a ban on advertisement before 9pm, both on television and online, which is a proposal that was originally made by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021.  

Additionally, businesses are prohibited from offering free refills of soft drinks classified as ‘less healthy’ by the Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM). Shops are also expected to face strict regulations on product placement near entrances, aisle ends, and checkouts. Specifically, businesses with a total area exceeding 185.8 square metres (2,000 square feet) are banned from locations that typically encourage impulse purchases – for example, placing HFSS products near checkouts, store entrances, queuing areas, or at the ends of aisles. Smaller stores, such as cafés or vending machine operators within larger shops, may be excluded from certain location-based restrictions, based on their size and layout.  

Our current system of traffic lights have little to no effect on purchases.

Consumers say that they have already noticed the changes in restaurants and fast-food chains, with soda machines now displaying notices stating that refills are only permitted for low-sugar or sugar-free drinks. However, this might not necessarily be a positive outcome. Critics have raised serious concerns about their economic impact, with industry groups warning that small businesses may struggle to comply with these new rules. The more critical issue is that of personal choice. Many have taken to social media expressing disbelief and frustration at what they see as the government intervening in their personal choice, calling the intrusion unnecessary. This has raised implications that the UK is being overprotective and a so-called ‘nanny state’.  

To further reduce ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and improve the population’s health, the UK should mandate an extra flag on products. In 2014, Brazil overhauled its dietary guidelines and adopted the NOVA system, which groups foods together based on their level of processing. The classification focuses on consuming unprocessed or minimally processed foods (Group 1) and avoiding ultra-processed foods (Group 4), and it was followed by a halving in the rate of increase of both obesity and purchases of UPFs. Our current system of traffic lights have little to no effect on purchases. Common examples of UPFs are dairy drinks, fruit nectar, packaged bread, chocolates, cereal bars, pre-prepared pizzas, hamburgers, amongst other products. Furthermore, the system could be used to introduce other beneficial food policies, like placing taxes on UPFs.  

Regardless of nanny state criticism, health experts have largely welcomed the current reforms. While current food policy could go further by introducing a NOVA system, the message from the UK government is loud and clear: it is a priority to promote a healthier food environment to reverse the country’s growing obesity crisis.