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 restricted, 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 apply to it. If it's 'out of scope', you're in the clear. There are a few ways a product 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 model scores foods based on what's in 100g of the product. You get points added for things like energy, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium, then points taken off for fruit and veg content, fibre, and protein. If a food scores 4 or more (or 1 or more for drinks), it's classed as 'less healthy'. You can check scores using the free NPM calculator.
Are drinks treated differently?
Yes, drinks have a much 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 will likely fail. Plain coffee, tea, and unsweetened drinks are 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?
It's any placement where money or something of value changes hands. That covers the obvious stuff like paid social ads, boosted posts, sponsored listings, and paid creator partnerships. It also includes gifted collaborations, so if a creator gets a free meal in exchange for posting about it, that counts as payment under these rules.
What is the SME exemption?
If your business has fewer than 250 employees, you're completely exempt from the LHF rules. 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 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?
Nope. Your own website, app, email newsletters, and organic social posts are all out of scope since you're not paying anyone to place them. The restrictions only kick in 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?
You can run paid ads that promote your brand, venue, atmosphere, and experience without showing specific less healthy products. Think logo-only ads, shots of your venue, or content featuring your team. And 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?
A product is identifiable when a typical viewer would recognise that the content is promoting that specific item. Something appearing briefly in the background usually won't count, but close-ups, focus shots, or actively engaging with the food (picking it up, eating it, talking about it) usually will.
Is there a watershed for online ads like TV?
No, and this is an important difference. TV advertising for less healthy food is only restricted between 5:30am and 9:00pm, but online restrictions apply around the clock with no watershed at all. Paid online ads for less healthy food are restricted at all times.
Do gifted meals count as 'paid'?
Yes, they do. Under these rules, 'paid' means anything of value, not just cash. A free meal, affiliate codes, or any kind of reciprocal arrangement all count as payment. If there's an understanding that the creator will post something in exchange for the benefit, it's 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 suggests 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 count as 'paid' advertising under LHF rules, 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) is the UK's advertising regulator, and they're responsible for handling complaints and monitoring ads. On top of that, platforms like Meta, TikTok, and Google do their own enforcement too, 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 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. Their tools are public rulings and requiring ads to be withdrawn. Ofcom sits behind them as a statutory backstop and can issue civil sanctions, but only if you refuse to cooperate with the ASA, like ignoring their correspondence or refusing to comply with a ruling. For businesses acting in good faith, you'll only deal with the ASA.