23 October, 2026

Proposed changes to food promotion rules have sparked controversy among food businesses and in the press amid rising grocery bills. But what’s really changing? And could rethinking supermarket deals help us make healthier choices without paying more?

Obesity remains a major public health challenge, with the number of four- and five-year-olds living with obesity at its highest level since records began. As part of its stated plan to raise the “healthiest generation of children ever”, the Government has introduced restrictions on where less healthy foods can be promoted in supermarkets, followed by a ban on multibuy offers such as 3-for-2 deals in October 2025.

Now, it’s proposing to update the nutritional criteria used to determine which products fall under these restrictions. The changes place greater emphasis on free sugars, potentially bringing more breakfast cereals, flavoured yoghurts and cereal bars into scope, including some that have been traditionally marketed as healthier options.

Industry leaders including Mars, Asda and KFC have raised concerns that the changes could hit shoppers’ wallets, particularly on everyday products that are currently frequently included in multibuy deals. The Food and Drink Federation has also warned that restricting promotions on some foods could undermine efforts to encourage healthier diets.

But there’s an important distinction here; the proposals wouldn’t prevent supermarkets from discounting these products individually, or offering multibuy deals on qualifying healthier alternatives. The intention is to reduce promotions that encourage consumers to buy more less healthy food than they otherwise would.

Deciding what constitutes ‘healthy’ is an ongoing challenge. Take yoghurt made from whole milk for example. It contains protein, probiotics, vitamin B12, calcium, phosphorus…all sorts of good things. But depending on the brand and variety, it may also contain a whole lot of free sugars and additives. And this has to be set against the financial pressures facing households who may rely on cost savings on multi-buy products to keep household bills down, and the financial pressures facing manufacturers and retailers who are already under pressure to continually evolve and adjust their portfolio according to changing regulations.

Tackling obesity and influencing consumers towards healthier lifestyles is a complex challenge, but perhaps the bigger question we should be thinking about is how we use the influence of supermarket promotions. If deals can shape what and how much we buy, how could retailers and manufacturers use that same power to make healthier choices more appealing, accessible and affordable?

By Emma Lindsay