Food Legislation: What You Need to Know

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What's New

Food legislation doesn’t stand still — and neither should you. There are some major shifts on the horizon that will shape how food businesses communicate, promote, and sell products in the UK.

From 1 October 2025 in England, the HFSS volume-price promotion ban finally lands. So the familiar “BOGOF”, “3-for-2” and similar multi-buy mechanics on specified less-healthy prepacked foods are out, online and in-store. Location restrictions have been in since 2022; this is the price-promotion piece catching up. There’s also a transition for promotions printed on packs that runs until 30 September 2026, so don’t bin compliant stock unnecessarily.

UK-wide HFSS advertising restrictions switch on 5 January 2026. In practice, that means a 9pm watershed on TV and Ofcom-regulated on-demand services for identifiable less-healthy products, and a full ban on paid-for online ads for those products at all times. Government has asked industry to follow the restrictions voluntarily from 1 October 2025; the hard legal start is 5 January. If you buy media or run paid social, plan for the January rule-set now.

Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging moves from theory to invoices in October 2025. PackUK, the government’s scheme administrator, has published the base-fee framework for 2025/26 and confirmed first producer invoices will go out in October. If you’re in scope, make sure your data, internal sign-offs and cash flow are ready.

A quick word on “Not for EU”. From 1 July 2025, more GB→NI retail goods require individual “Not for EU” labels under the Retail Movement Scheme—check scope if you supply NI. For Great Britain generally, there is no blanket “Not for EU” start date; ministers can apply it to specific goods by formal notice if evidence shows NI supply is at risk. Until such a notice lands for your category, don’t add the mark for GB sales.