Ad industry trade bodies launch LHF awareness campaign
UK advertising trade bodies have launched a campaign to drive awareness of the incoming Less-Healthy Food (LHF) advertising restrictions to further support adland professionals working on Q4 campaigns.
The campaign, titlted “Countdown to October 1”, was developed by the Advertising Association (AA), ISBA, the IPA and IAB UK. It will signpost key resources, including FAQs and online training, to help the industry comply with the restrictions on a voluntary basis from 1 October.
In support of the campaign, the AA has also released a one-page explainer for ads that are planned to run between 1 October 2025 to 5 January 2026. It provides specific details around LHF products and what brands can and can’t show, including a link to 13 categories of products included within the scope of the ban.
It also clarifies that brand advertising is still allowed, provided no products identifying LHF products are included.
This will be key for instilling confidence in marketers as they plan for holiday campaigns, as AA CEO Stephen Woodford highlighted in reaction to this week’s latest AA/Warc Expenditure Report.
Woodford said: “This campaign is a collaborative effort to help everyone working in our industry — from advertiser to agency; media owner to tech company — understand what is being asked of them.
“It is a vital part of demonstrating the industry’s commitment to responsible advertising, while enabling advertisers to continue advertising their brands through an exemption promised by the Government during the legislative process.”
Seasonal catchphrases are included within the campaign, such as “Don’t be on the naughty list” and “Don’t get tricked when showing treats,” to drive awareness around the planning of festive ads.
Treat 1 October as ‘set in stone’
Whilst the official government deadline for enforcing the LHF ban is not until 5 January 2026, trade bodies have indicated the earlier voluntary adoption from the industry will enable the government to clarify the law to ensure brand advertising remains exempt from the incoming legislation through the passing of a Statutory Instrument (SI). This is expected to occur when the government returns from recess in September.
Following the passage of the SI, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is expected release much-anticipated updated guidance on how brands should manage the ban.
LHF ad ban delayed to 2026 as government commits to explicitly exempt brand activity
“Although the Government had to change their implementation date to January 5 next year to accommodate the brand exemption clarification, that shift was only confirmed in May when we signed our industry agreement with Government,” said Richard Lindsay, director of legal and public affairs at the IPA. “Businesses, including agencies, will therefore have been working towards a compliance date of October 1, 2025 for over two years anyway, and it is vital that they continue to treat that date as set in stone, hence this joint industry initiative.
“We are asking agencies, then, to meet the terms of the Industry Agreement, and to comply with the restrictions, as if they were coming into force from October 1.”
Sinead Coogan-Jobes, head of policy and public affairs at IAB UK, echoed the sentiment: “The Government listened to our industry’s case regarding brand advertising. It’s now for us — as an industry — to show that decision was the right one by upholding the agreement in good faith from October 1.”
What channels are restricted?
Importantly for media owners, the awareness campaign also provides details on which channels are within the scope of the ban.
Advertising on TV before the watershed (between 5:30am-9:00pm), including on ODPS and IPTV channels that are regulated by Ofcom, is prohibited.
Paid-for online advertisements at any time is within the scope of the ban, including video-on-demand (VOD) and IPTV services not regulated by Ofcom.
Companies can continue to advertise on other media, including OOH, cinema and print, provided they adhere to the existing HFSS rules set out by CAP/BCAP and any other existing policies by individual channels, such as Transport for London.
Clearcast will be reviewing all ads according to the new guidance, including Christmas ads.
Originally, the policy was meant to be instituted in early 2023 before a delay to 2024, then 2025, and now subsequently early 2026 to allow more time for the ad industry to prepare and to provide greater clarity on the scope of the policy.
“The LHF industry agreement is about trust,” said Isba director of public affairs Rob Newman. “Government has listened to industry representations regarding the brand exemption; now it’s incumbent on advertisers to play their part by making every effort to avoid running product ads from October 1.”