What is HFSS?
High in Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) is the classification for all food and non-alcoholic drink which is high in fat, salt, and/or sugar according to the Nutrient Profiling Model, managed by Public Health England.
Alcoholic drinks are not included in the ruling as they are governed under their own rules.
Any advertisers wishing to feature food and/or non-alcoholic drinks in their creative copy must ensure that any products featured are HFSS compliant (unless they have received an exemption).
If an ad features, or makes reference to, an identifiable HFSS product, either alone or as one of a range of products shown, it will be treated as an HFSS product advertisement and will be subject to the HFSS restrictions.
Marketers should also note that the use of branding in an advert, even if the product itself doesn't feature, could have the effect of promoting a specific HFSS product. The word branding is used in its widest possible sense and can include logos, marks, characters, colours or straplines that are directly associated with a particular product, range of products or company.
Incidental food and drink: The above includes HFSS food and non-alcoholic drinks which feature incidentally in creative copy, so even if it is not an advert for food or drink. All such copy will need to be reviewed.
For more information on nutrient profiling, visit the Department of Health website.