In Jan, we wrote to the Secretaries of State calling on robust monitoring to ensure the policy delivers as intended. Where there is evidence the policy is not - further action must be taken to strengthen the regulations.

Read the full letter ⬇️
obesityhealthalliance.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Lidl and Iceland ads are first banned under new UK junk food rules ASA rules ads on Instagram and Daily Mail website broke ban on promoting items high in fat, salt and sugar

Both were found to be in breach of the legislation, as they promoted identifiable less healthy products (as defined by the 2004/05 Nutrient Profiling Model) through paid digital advertising.

Read more on the rulings here: www.theguardian.com/business/202...

🚫 The first adverts have now been banned under the Less Healthy Advertising Restrictions by the ASA, inc:

🥐 A paid Instagram advert promoting a Lidl pastry product via a beauty and lifestyle influencer
🍭 A paid advert on the Daily Mail website from Iceland, including a tub of sweets

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Read our latest briefing on NPM, outlining our initial recommendations, practical examples of the model in use, and a simple explainer on free sugars and the NPM here: obesityhealthalliance.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Applying the new NPM to advertising and promotions restrictions We're seeking views on applying the new nutrient profiling model (NPM) to the advertising and promotions restrictions on 'less healthy' food and drink products.

This consultation presents a fantastic opportunity to bring existing regulations back up to speed - better reflecting recent scientific advice on free sugars and fibre and our food system as a whole.

Consultation portal here: www.gov.uk/government/c...

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The UK Government has today launched a 12-week consultation on strengthening food advertising and promotion rules using the updated 2018 Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM).

Our Executive Director, Katharine Jenner, responds below

...

"If we are serious about protecting children’s health, these regulations should be a foundation to build on - expanding protections across all media and finally ending unhealthy food and drink advertising to children."

Our Executive Director, Katharine Jenner, responded to the latest Nesta report:
"The current rules rely on an outdated nutrient profiling model, apply to only a limited set of products and media platforms, and leave major loopholes such as brand advertising.

The letter called on the government to close the loopholes also highlighted in Nesta’s new report:
✅ adopting the 2018 Nutrient Profiling Model
✅ removing ‘brand’ and ‘brand ranges' exemption.
✅ beginning work on the next phase of ads regulation, including outdoor and across other media channels.

Open Letter to Secretaries of State Urges Tougher Junk Food Advertising Rules to Protect Children - Obesity Health Alliance The Obesity Health Alliance has written to the Secretaries of State for Health and Social Care and for Culture, Media and Sport to welcome the introduction of the Less Healthy Food and Drink Advertisi...

In January, signed by +50 of our members, we sent a letter to the government to welcome the introduction of the regulations as an important first step towards ending less healthy food and drink advertising – but that it was not ‘job done’ ⬇️
obesityhealthalliance.org.uk/2026/01/06/o...

Mind the gaps: why restrictions on less healthy food and drink advertising fall short Exploring the changing face of food and drink advertising

A new report from Nesta explores why the UK’s less healthy food and drink advertising regulations on TV and paid-for online media fall short - estimating the regs will affect just 8% of all unhealthy food and drink advertising spend.
www.nesta.org.uk/report/mind-...

National Planning Policy Framework: proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system We are seeking views on a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system.

Access the consultation portal and documents here ⬇️ www.gov.uk/government/c...

We have now submitted its response to the National Planning Policy Framework consultation - closing today at 11:45pm ⌛

If your organisation would like to show support for stronger planning policies that promote healthier food environments, please email: info@obesityhealthalliance.org.uk 📩

Weight-loss drugs alone will not solve UK’s obesity crisis, says Chris Whitty Chief medical adviser warns of side-effects and calls for action on junk food advertising and making food healthier

During his annual lecture to the Medical Journalists’ Association, England’s CMO Prof Chris Whitty warned the government not to rely too heavily on GLP-1 drugs to tackle obesity.

Our Exec Director, Katharine Jenner, responds & quoted in The Guardian ⬇️
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

Baby pouches and health halos: the new partnership demanding better baby food - Obesity Health Alliance The Commercial Baby Food Review reflects a shared commitment to strengthen standards in a market that shapes children’s diets from the earliest months.

The Commercial Baby Food Review is a new cross-sector initiative working to improve the nutritional quality, composition and marketing of commercial baby and toddler foods in the UK.

Read all about this exciting new project in our latest blog ⬇️

obesityhealthalliance.org.uk/2026/03/05/b...

Data published today on #WorldObesityDay shines a spotlight on the scale of the challenge we are facing in the UK (and globally) with our children's health.

Our Executive Director, Katharine Jenner, responds below and quoted in The Guardian 👇

News article 👉 www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Thank you Ashley Dalton MP for your leadership as Public Health Minister - driving key parts of the NHS 10 Year Plan and championing a fairer food system 👏

Welcome Sharon Hodgson MP - we look forward to working together on the government’s 'moonshot to end the obesity epidemic'

📢 We have joined more than 100 organisations - including campaign groups, major supermarkets, food businesses and investors – to urge the Government to introduce a Good Food Bill.

Read our Exec Director Katharine Jenner's response here 👇

& more info here 👉 foodfoundation.org.uk/news/100-org...

A great session yesterday the LGA / ADPH Annual Public Health Conference - talking all things fast-food outlets, public health and planning 💡

We are working with our NPPF working group on a template response, please get in touch with info@obesityhealthalliance.org.uk to access ✉️

Catch our Exec Director Katharine Jenner on the latest @foodfoundation.bsky.social podcast - chatting all things Nutrient Profiling Model, following the long-awaited publication of the updated technical guidance last month ⬇️
open.spotify.com/episode/0byc...

Blog: Updating the Nutrient Profiling Model is Fair Game - Obesity Health Alliance Updating the Nutrient Profiling Model isn’t moving the goalposts – it’s making the game fair, writes our Executive Director, Katharine Jenner… Since the government announced it would publish the updat...

Great blog — clear, timely and grounded in evidence. Updating the Nutrient Profiling Model isn’t about moving the goalposts, it’s about keeping policy aligned with modern nutrition science and common sense. @oha-updates.bsky.social

obesityhealthalliance.org.uk/2026/01/26/u...

Healthy life expectancy continues to fall and significant gaps remain, says IPPR | IPPR Analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) of new healthy life expectancy (HLE) statistics published today finds that:The number of years

🆕analysis of ONS data by @ippr.org shows that healthy life expectancy has continued to fall, with wide variations across England, mirroring socioeconomic inequalities 👇

www.ippr.org/media-office...

Improving the nation’s diet: the impact of ultra-processed food This report sets out our calls to action to improve the food environment and address the health impacts of poor diet, including food high in salt, sugar and fat and UPFs (ultra-processed foods).

📢 New report published today by @bma.org.uk calls on the government to take crucial action to improve our food environment.

Read the full report & recommendations here ⬇️ www.bma.org.uk/what-we-do/p...

Public health ring-fenced grant financial year 2026 to 2027: local authority circular

As an alliance, we’re calling on government to go further and empower local communities to make the places we live, work and play healthier. Right now, many local authorities still lack the resources and powers they need to act.

See full allocations here ⬇️ www.gov.uk/government/p...

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Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.

Good to see Public Health Minister Ashley Dalton confirm public health grant allocations earlier this week, including the first multi-year settlement in over a decade ⬇️
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...

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Almost a quarter of soup on sale in UK supermarkets has too much salt, study finds Analysis of nearly 500 tinned and chilled products finds 23% exceed government’s voluntary salt target

New research published today by @actionsaltsugar.bsky.social has found that almost a quarter of soup on sale in UK supermarkets has too much salt.

Read the full findings here ➡️ www.actiononsalt.org.uk/news/news/

& covered in the Guardian here ⬇️
www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Image: Report front page - "Soups: A snapshot into the salt content of ready-to-eat soup"

A single pack of soup can contain more salt than two McDonald’s cheeseburgers! 🚨

Soup is often viewed as a healthy, convenient lunch option - but how much salt are some soups hiding?

📑 Find out in our new report: tinyurl.com/8nwmtdf4

@qmulcphp.bsky.social @qmul.bsky.social @qmul-wiph.bsky.social

Blog: The new nutrient profiling model could rewrite UK food rules - Obesity Health Alliance The government’s new Nutrient Profile Model (NPM) sounds like the kind of policy detail you’d normally skip. But it matters because it is the tool that, in law, decides what counts as “healthier” and ...

Our Expert Advisor and former Chief Nutritionist at Public Health England & Department of Health and Social Care, Dr Alison Tedstone MBE explains how the new nutrient profiling model could rewrite UK food rules for the better, in our latest blog ⬇️
obesityhealthalliance.org.uk/2026/02/02/b...

Looking forward to hosting a session at the forthcoming LGA & ADPH Annual Public Health Conference on Wednesday 25th February - which will focus on fast food outlets in the context of planning policy.

More info & tickets here ➡️
lgaevents.local.gov.uk/lga/frontend...

Blog: 5 reasons why we needed to update the Nutrient Profiling Model - Obesity Health Alliance Sonia Pombo, Head of Research and Impact, and Natalie Brabben, Communications Officer at Action on Salt and Sugar, based at Queen Mary University of London. With so much recent discussion about the Nu...

In our latest blog, OHA members Action on Salt and Sugar serve up 5 reasons why an update to the Nutrient Profiling Model is needed.

Read all the detail here ⬇️
obesityhealthalliance.org.uk/2026/01/29/b...

@actionsaltsugar.bsky.social