London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

Shops in England banned from displaying junk food near entrances and tills from today

Shops in England banned from displaying junk food near entrances and tills from today

A proposed ban on multibuy deals for junk food - such as "buy one, get one free" offers - is being delayed until October 2023.
Restrictions on where shops in England can display junk food come into effect today.

Products that are high in fat, salt and sugar can no longer be placed in prominent locations such as shop entrances and tills.

But a proposed ban on multibuy deals for junk food - such as "buy one, get one free" offers - is being delayed until October 2023.

Prime Minister Liz Truss was reportedly concerned that those measures would increase pressure on consumers already struggling with surging costs.

James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: "Local shops have sunk huge sums of money in refitting their stores to comply with these regulations when their businesses are already under pressure from rising energy bills and increased product costs.

"Retailers have been frustrated by the government's rushed approach to policy development and indecision about implementation dates."

The Food and Drink Federation said the delay to the ban on multibuy deals is welcome news, including for hard-pressed shoppers as inflation remains elevated.

Chief executive Karen Betts said: "Our industry looks forward to continuing to work with government to help tackle obesity and poor diets.

"Food and drink businesses know we play a critical role in this, and we have worked hard over many years to redevelop the recipes of our products to make them healthier while retaining their delicious flavours. This has included work to help people choose appropriate portion sizes."

But Barbara Crowther of the Children's Food Campaign said she was "disappointed" by the delay - and argued that multibuy deals actually result in people spending 22% more on impulsive bulk purchases of less healthy food and drink.

"We hope that companies will now use this extra time responsibly to focus their price offers around healthier foods, which would be the best way of supporting families to access healthy food in this cost of living crisis," she added.

Nonetheless, Ms Crowther expressed hope that today's new rules will "shift the promotional spotlight to healthier products".

Mark Jones is a food and drink supply chain expert at the law firm Gordons. He points to figures that suggest 28% of adults in England are obese and a further 36% are overweight - with childhood obesity rates hitting an all-time high during the pandemic.

"Some 28% of children are now overweight and 41% of 10 to 11-year-olds are overweight, which doesn't bode well for the future," he warned.

"Obesity currently costs the taxpayer more than the police, fire service and judicial system combined."

He added that "something needs to be done to tackle rising obesity rates".
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
×