Writing in NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood and Paul Hilder of Mills & Reeve explore the Advertising Standards Agency’s first rulings under the UK’s new restrictions on advertising ‘less healthy’ foods.
A Lidl Northern Ireland influencer campaign fell foul of the rules because viewers could identify a pain suisse and cheese pretzel, while a German Doner Kebab promotion survived because none of the featured products met the legal definition of junk food.
The article delves into the Department of Health’s nutrient profiling model, which scores foods according to factors such as sugar, salt and fibre. As the authors note, the answer to whether it is ‘pastries bad, kebabs ok?’ is simply: ‘it depends’. For brands, the lesson is clear—understanding the distinction between brand and product advertising could be crucial to avoiding reputational damage and regulatory action.
