Where you can (and can’t) advertise less healthy foods in 2025
The new ‘less healthy food or drink’ ad bans affect far more than just Facebook campaigns!
From Deliveroo to YouTube to influencer shoutouts, paid online promotions of HFSS (High in Fat, Salt, or Sugar) products are about to become illegal in the UK.
What’s off-limits?
As of October 2025, any paid digital ad for an HFSS product will be banned. That includes:
Paid social (Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, Snapchat)
Google Search and Display Ads
YouTube pre-rolls
Paid influencer posts
Paid product placements in apps like Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat
What’s still allowed?
Organic social media posts
User-generated content (if unpaid)
Out-of-home advertising (bus stops, billboards)
Audio-only ads (e.g. radio, podcasts)
What about influencers?
Paid partnerships will be subject to the ban if they promote an HFSS product. Gifting without payment is still a legal grey area. Final guidance is expected soon.
What you should do next:
Audit your ad accounts and all the places you’re running paid promotions
Rethink your influencer contracts and disclosures
Create robust organic content strategies
Join us at one of our ‘less healthy food’-focused panel discussions and Q&As!
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