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Guidance

Restricting advertising of less healthy food or drink on TV and online: products in scope

Outlines the provisions of the Advertising (Less Healthy Food Definitions and Exemptions) Regulations 2024 which will come into force on 5 January 2026.

Updates to this page

From:
Department of Health and Social Care
Published:
3 December 2024
Last updated:
4 June 2025
Show all updates

  1. Updated to reflect that the advertising restrictions will now come into force on 5 January 2026 (was 1 October 2025) and to clarify that food supplements, as defined in an amendment of the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003, are an exempt item.

  2. First published.

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Restricting advertising of less healthy food or drink on TV and online: products in scope

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The purpose of this guidance is to:

It is primarily aimed at businesses implementing the regulations and authorities enforcing them.

It should be read in conjunction with the regulations themselves and with the implementation guidance that will be published by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

As per the Communications Act 2003 (Restrictions on the Advertising of Less Healthy Food) (Effective Date) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 laid in Parliament on 3 June 2025, the advertising restrictions will come into force across the UK on 5 January 2026.

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