Starting 1 October 2025, the UK government will introduce significant new restrictions on the marketing and advertising of foods high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS). These changes represent a major shift for the marketing strategy in the hospitality industry – especially for larger operators like restaurant groups, hotel chains, and bar brands with more than 250 employees. If your business falls into this category, now is the time to prepare.

What’s changing?

The regulations aim to reduce the marketing exposure of less healthy food and drink products to consumers, particularly children. Common menu favourites such as pizzas, burgers, fried items, sugary desserts, and soft drinks will fall within the scope of the new rules.

Among the most impactful restrictions:

• Television advertising of HFSS products will be banned before 9pm, effectively removing them from prime-time visibility.
• Paid online advertising will face a complete 24/7 ban. This includes ads on social media platforms, search engines, and display networks.
• In-house promotions won’t escape scrutiny either. Offers like “buy one get one free” on HFSS items and free refills of sugary drinks will no longer be allowed in dining venues.

Who will be affected?

These regulations are targeted at medium to large businesses, specifically, those with 250 or more employees. If you’re a smaller independent operator, you’re currently exempt, but it’s worth keeping an eye on how the landscape evolves. The consequences for non-compliance could be significant.

Companies that breach the new rules may face:

• Fines and civil penalties. While exact figures haven’t been set, financial sanctions are a core enforcement tool.
• Public censure. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) may ‘name and shame’ offending businesses, putting reputations at risk.
• Mandatory ad takedowns. Platforms like Google and Meta will be required to block or remove non-compliant ads aimed at UK users.
• Increased regulatory scrutiny. Repeated breaches could trigger tighter oversight or further restrictions on your advertising practices.

Are there any exemptions?

Yes, but they’re narrow! Businesses with fewer than 250 employees can still advertise HFSS products online. Also, ads that focus on brand identity without showing specific HFSS products are allowed, as long as they don’t feature recognisable unhealthy items. Lastly, content designed purely to enable purchases—like product listings on food delivery sites—is also excluded from the restrictions.

Opportunities to adapt

While the rules pose challenges, they also open the door to strategic innovation and creative thinking in your marketing approach.

Tell your story. Shift focus from specific items to brand experience. Highlight your venue’s atmosphere, service, and commitment to quality.

Promote healthier dishes. Use the change as a prompt to develop and spotlight compliant menu options—grilled dishes, vibrant salads, or refreshing low-sugar drinks.

Explore alternative channels. Print, out-of-home (OOH), radio, and podcasts remain unrestricted and can provide fresh opportunities to reach your audience.

Double down on organic engagement. Encourage reviews, user-generated content, and behind-the-scenes storytelling to stay top of mind on social media without running paid ads.

Strategic steps to take now

Preparing early will help you turn regulatory change into a competitive advantage:

Review your menu. Reformulating recipes to reduce fat, salt, and sugar could allow more items to remain in the spotlight.

Train your teams. Ensure marketing and customer-facing staff are fully briefed on the new rules.

Stay informed. Keep up with government guidance and any amendments to the legislation to avoid getting caught out.

Review your marketing strategy. If you are overly reliant on paid digital ads to push your message, it’s time to change.

These advertising restrictions are about more than just compliance, they’re about reshaping how food and hospitality brands communicate with customers.

The good news?

Businesses that have invested in building an owned brand community are likely to reap the rewards of their efforts. Similarly, businesses that adapt early and positively can emerge stronger, more relevant, and better aligned with the preferences of today’s health-conscious consumer.