Free Tool
HFSS & Less Healthy Food Checker
UK rules restrict paid ads for foods in one of 13 Less Healthy Food categories that also score as High Fat, Salt, or Sugar (HFSS) under the Nutrient Profiling Model
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Designed specifically for hospitality businesses using the Less Healthy Food Definitions and ASA guidance as of January 2026. This tool can make mistakes, so always double check official sources.
Understanding UK HFSS Regulations
When the rules apply and what options you still have
When the Rules Apply
A product is restricted if it meets both parts of this test:
In one of 13 regulated categories (pizza, chips, burgers, desserts, fried chicken, sugary drinks, etc.)
Scores as "less healthy" under the Nutrient Profiling Model
Applies to paid social ads, boosted posts, sponsored listings, and paid partnerships (including gifted). The rules apply 24/7 with no watershed, unlike TV advertising.
What You Can Still Do
Even with 250+ employees, you can still:
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Feature dishes outside the 13 categories steaks, pasta, curries, salads, grilled fish
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Post on your own channels organic posts on social, website, and email
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Commission content for your channels pay creators for your accounts
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Run brand-focused ads promote your venue and experience
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about UK HFSS and LHF food advertising rules for restaurants, cafes, pubs, and hospitality businesses. For more detail, read our full compliance guide or speak to the Joli team.
What's the difference between HFSS and LHF?
You'll see both terms used, but they mean slightly different things. HFSS (High Fat, Salt, Sugar) is the scoring system that determines whether a food counts as 'less healthy'. LHF (Less Healthy Food) refers to the actual advertising restrictions. For a product to be caught by the restrictions, it needs to tick both boxes: fall into one of 13 specific food categories AND score as HFSS.
What does 'in scope' and 'out of scope' mean?
If something is 'in scope', the restrictions are likely to apply to it. If it's 'out of scope', you're in the clear. The ASA guidance sets out several ways content can be out of scope: it might not be in a regulated category, it might not score as less healthy, it could be advertised by a smaller business, appear on the brand's own channels, or be brand-only advertising that doesn't show specific products.
How does the Nutrient Profiling Model work?
The NPM scores food per 100g using two groups of nutrients. 'A points' (0-10 each) are added for energy, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium, where more means less healthy. 'C points' (0-5 each) are subtracted for fibre, protein, and fruit/veg/nuts content, where more means healthier. Final score = A minus C. Foods scoring 4+ and drinks scoring 1+ are classified as 'less healthy'. There's also a protein restriction: if A points hit 11+ and fruit/veg/nuts is below 80%, protein points don't count.
Are drinks treated differently?
Yes, drinks have a stricter threshold. A drink only needs to score 1 point to be classed as 'less healthy', compared to 4 points for food. This catches people out because things like caramel lattes, sugary iced coffees, and flavoured milkshakes are likely to score above the threshold. Plain coffee, tea, and unsweetened drinks would typically be fine.
What are the 13 regulated food categories?
The categories cover soft drinks with added sugar, savoury snacks, breakfast cereals, confectionery, ice cream, cakes, sweet biscuits, morning goods (think croissants and pastries), desserts, sweetened yoghurt, pizza, potato products like chips and fries, plus category 13 which includes ready meals, breaded or battered products, and sandwiches including burgers. You can find the full definitions in the regulations.
What foods are NOT in the regulated categories?
Anything not listed in the 13 regulated categories is out of scope, no matter how it scores nutritionally. So things like grilled meats, fish that isn't battered, pasta dishes, curries, and salads can all be featured freely in paid content.
What counts as 'paid' advertising?
Under the regulations, 'paying' includes any consideration, whether monetary or non-monetary. That covers the obvious stuff like paid social ads, boosted posts, sponsored listings, and paid creator partnerships. The ASA guidance confirms this also includes gifted collaborations, so if a creator gets a free meal in exchange for posting about it, that's likely to count as payment.
What is the SME exemption?
The regulations include an exemption for food or drink businesses with fewer than 250 employees. That covers most independent restaurants, cafes, and pubs. You need to count everyone though: UK staff, international teams, and part-timers all add up. If you're a franchisee, the ASA guidance notes that the franchisor's total headcount applies (including all franchisees), so check with your franchisor whether the whole system exceeds 250.
Are organic posts and own channels affected?
According to the ASA guidance, your own website, app, email newsletters, and organic social posts are unlikely to be within scope since you're not paying anyone to place them. The restrictions only apply when you're paying for placement on someone else's platform. Same goes for creators posting genuinely organic content with no payment, gifted meal, or arrangement involved.
What is the brand advertising exemption?
The regulations include an exemption for 'brand advertisements' that promote your brand, venue, atmosphere, and experience without depicting specific less healthy products. Think logo-only ads, shots of your venue, or content featuring your team. The ASA guidance confirms that even if your brand name includes a product word (like 'Pizza Palace'), you can still use it as long as the business was established before 16 July 2025.
When is a product 'identifiable' in content?
The ASA will assess whether a typical viewer could reasonably identify that the content is promoting a specific product. According to their guidance, something appearing briefly in the background is unlikely to meet this test, but close-ups, focus shots, or actively engaging with the food (picking it up, eating it, talking about it) are more likely to.
Is there a watershed for online ads like TV?
No, and this is an important difference. TV advertising for less healthy food is restricted between 5:30am and 9:00pm, but the online restrictions apply around the clock with no watershed. Paid online ads for identifiable less healthy products are restricted at all times.
Do gifted meals count as 'paid'?
The ASA guidance confirms that 'paying' includes non-monetary consideration like gifted products. A free meal, affiliate codes, or any kind of reciprocal arrangement are all likely to count as payment. If there's an arrangement that the creator will post something in exchange for the benefit, it's likely to be treated as paid advertising.
Can brands commission content for their own channels?
If you're paying a creator to make content that only appears on your own channels (not theirs), the ASA guidance says this is unlikely to be within scope. That's because you're paying for the content itself, not for placement on someone else's platform.
How do these rules affect influencer marketing?
Since both gifted meals and paid partnerships are likely to count as 'paid' advertising under the regulations, it changes what creators can feature in that content. We've put together a guide for brands and a guide for creators with more detail, or you can book a demo to see how Joli can help you run compliant campaigns.
Who enforces these rules?
The ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) handles day-to-day enforcement, dealing with complaints and monitoring ads. Ofcom sits behind them and can step in if someone refuses to cooperate with the ASA. Platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google also do their own enforcement, so they might reject or remove content that doesn't comply.
What happens if content doesn't comply?
The ASA can require ads to be taken down and will publish their rulings publicly, naming your brand. Platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google also enforce independently, so they might reject ads before they go live or pull content mid-campaign. The ASA guidance confirms that the advertiser (whoever is paying for placement) is responsible for compliance, even if a creator or agency was involved.
Can you be fined for breaking these rules?
The ASA doesn't issue fines directly. Their tools are public rulings and requiring ads to be withdrawn. Ofcom can take enforcement action, but according to ASA guidance this would typically only happen if you ignore the ASA entirely, like refusing to respond to them or refusing to comply with a ruling. For businesses acting in good faith, you'll deal with the ASA.