What the new HFSS advertising ban could mean for plant-based food companies

What kinds of specific food items does the ban cover?

"The new ban applies to advertising for food and drinks classified as “less healthy” under the nutrient profiling model; primarily high fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) products that fall into one of 13 specified categories, including sugary soft drinks, confectionery, and ready meals. In practice, this is likely to capture things like crisps, ice cream, chips, chocolate bars, sugary breakfast cereals, and fizzy drinks."

How big an impact on diets will the ban have? Will we start to see healthier, or more planet-friendly, foods advertised?

"The intention of the ban is to improve the nation’s health, and in particular to curb childhood obesity rates, but it is hard to say whether this will happen in practice. There is a notable exemption to the ban, allowing for brand-only ads in which no identifiable less healthy product is shown. This means food companies that are already household names and enjoy high levels of public recognition could continue to advertise online and pre-watershed on TV, relying solely on their branding. Food companies could also pivot their media strategies towards non-regulated forms of advertising such as outdoor and sponsorship. It therefore won’t be a case of “out of sight, out of mind”, because brands associated with less healthy products will not necessarily be less visible.

"That said, another workaround to the ban for food companies is to reformulate existing products – or come up with new ones – that are not HFSS and so not caught by the ban. And in their long-term strategy food companies may look to move towards healthier product composition in order to continue meaningfully competing for prime inventory, given it is highly unlikely the new restriction will be rolled back. It’s therefore possible we could gradually see healthier and increasingly planet-positive foods foregrounded in advertising."

How big a role does advertising (online or on TV) play in our food choices?

"Food choices are influenced by a wide variety of factors – taste preferences, cultural norms, price, convenience, health considerations, etc. However, TV and online advertising play a significant role in shaping societal perceptions and creating demand. There is a reason so many brands invest heavily in marketing: when done well, it works. Repeated exposure to persuasive messaging about specific food products influences how we perceive them.

"It’s perhaps useful to draw a comparison with tobacco advertising, which was first banned on TV in the UK in 1965, and across all forms of advertising by 2003. During this period and through to the present day there has been a dramatic decline in smoking rates, and whilst we definitely can’t attribute this change in consumer behaviour solely to the advertising bans - which were part of a broader public health strategy that included the 2007 ban on smoking in public places - it is almost certain they had an impact on consumer choices by removing messaging suggesting smoking was aspirational, or even socially acceptable.

"Of course, food is different: it is a necessity, and the food market is far more diverse. However, the evidence from tobacco control shows that limiting advertising can shift social norms and consumer behaviour, particularly when combined with other policies."

Will it realistically encourage bigger food groups to focus more on healthier - potentially plant-based - products, or could smaller companies claim a bigger share of voice?

"If bigger food groups want to continue advertising online and pre-9pm on TV, they will need to either rely solely on logos and slogans (only an option for those with the highest levels of brand recognition, and unlikely to be sustainable in the very long term) or focus on healthier product offerings. In reality, most companies are likely to adopt a combination of both strategies. Space may be created for smaller companies that already boast a healthier product offering, but inventory is not sector-specific, and a gap that opens up due to ad space vacated by a fast-food chain could just as easily be filled by a toy manufacturer, fashion retailer, or travel company."

Any other thoughts?

"The ban definitely represents an opportunity for plant-based food companies, but they will need to be strategic in their approach – it is not as straightforward as being able to step into the space previously occupied by brands producing less healthy products and speak directly to their audiences.

"Plant-based food companies should also be wary about any kind of sustainability messaging that accompanies their products, as separate rules apply to any environmental claims made in advertising."

An extract of Helena's comments was published in Business Green, 11 February 2026.