Healthier advertising policy
In October 2024, the council agreed the Healthier Advertising Policy (food and non-alcoholic drink) (PDF, 252KB)
The policy restricts the advertising of unhealthy foods on council owned assets, for example, advertising hoardings, buildings, vehicles, roundabouts.
Research shows that adverts for food high in fat, salt or sugar can increase how much people buy and eat. By swapping these adverts for healthier options, we can help people make better food choices.
Cheshire East Council uses the UK Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) to check which products count as high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS).
Advertisers must check their products using the NPM before placing any adverts.
The table below shows a summary guide of the swaps that can be made to make advertisments acceptable. The policy document has more details.
Table of reviews relevant to aging well and life expectancy.
| Advertisement content | Outcome | Example(s) | Notes |
|---|
| Only non-HFSS products featured |
Approved |
An advertisement for fresh fruit and vegetables |
Subject to compliance with our overall Advertising Policy. |
| Only HFSS products featured |
Rejected |
An advertisement for sweet pastries |
|
| A range of products, some of which are HFSS and some of which are non-HFSS |
Rejected |
An advertisement for a meal deal that includes a chocolate bar (HFSS) as well as fruit (non-HFSS) |
All food/drink items being advertised must be non-HFSS. |
| No food or drink directly displayed but the advertisement is from or features a food/drink brand |
Possibly approved – only if healthier options (non-HFSS) are being promoted |
- A fast-food business advertising only non-HFSS products (approved)
- A fast-food business advertising a competition or an affiliation to an event (rejected).
|
Many brands and their logos have strong HFSS product association. Some HFSS products also share the same name as the actual brand name, making it difficult to separate the brand name from the associated product. |
| Food and drink is shown ‘incidentally’ i.e., it is not the subject of the advertisement but is included (or implied) by visual or copy |
Possibly approved – only if healthy products (non-HFSS) are being displayed |
- A travel firm advertising holiday offers which happens to contain images of oranges (approved)
- A travel firm advertising holiday offers which happens to contain images of ice creams (rejected)
|
If the advertisement can be reasonably considered to promote HFSS products it will be rejected regardless of whether the food is intended focus of the advertisement. |
| Food and drink is referenced in the text, through graphical representations or other visual representation (not a real product being advertised) |
Possibly approved – only if healthy products (non-HFSS) are being promoted |
- An advertisement that contains a cartoon image of carrots (accepted)
- An advertisement that contains a cartoon image of chocolate (rejected)
|
If the advertisement can be reasonably considered to promote HFSS products it will be rejected regardless of whether the food is an actual product. |
| Indirect promotion of HFSS food and/or drink |
Possibly approved – only if prominent text accompanies the image naming the product and retailer |
- An advertisement featuring a non-HFSS ice cream that includes prominent text that accompanies the image naming the specific product and retailer (accepted)
- An advertisement featuring a non-HFSS ice cream but with no accompanying explanatory text (rejected)
|
A prominent product descriptor helps to differentiate it from non-compliant products. This is necessary where the product falls into a category typically associated with HFSS products (such as ice cream). |
| Portion sizes |
Possibly approved – only if prominent text accompanies the image naming the product and retailer |
- An advertisement for a non-HFSS 16-inch pizza that displays a portion (e.g., 3 slices) and that also displays clear text naming the product and retailer as per the row above (accepted)
- An advertisement for a non-HFSS 16-inch pizza that displays an image of the full pizza (rejected)
|
A prominent product descriptor helps to differentiate it from non-compliant products. This is necessary where the product falls into a category typically associated with HFSS products (such as ice cream). |
Example images of advertisements
Example adverts before (above) and after (below), implementation of the Healthier Food Advertising Policy, based on real life examples.
See the reports discussed at the Corporate Policy Committee in October 2024
Page last reviewed: 15 January 2026
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