Rules by country / United Kingdom / HFSS multibuy ban
HFSS multibuy ban: which promotions still pay
Larger businesses can't run 3 for £5, BOGOF or extra free deals on less healthy food and drink in England, Wales and Scotland. We measure which of your promotions really paid, and plan the ones that still will.
A guide, not legal advice. Less healthy means a nutrient profile score of 1 or more for drinks, or 4 or more for food, in a covered category.
A promotion plan for the multibuy ban
What every past promotion really earned, and the promotions that pay under the new rules, product by product and retailer by retailer.
- The real return on every past promotion, after the dip that follows it
- How shoppers react to a small cut versus a deep one, and to leaflet support
- Which promotions to keep, drop or replace, in profit
- A promotion plan for the year ahead, and an Excel model to test others
How your results look
| Promotion | What it earned | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| 3 for £5 cola multipack (before the ban) | Lost 8p a pack after the dip | Replace with 25% off |
| 25% off lemonade, with leaflet | +21p a pack | Keep, four times a year |
| Save 50p on iced tea | +3p a pack | Run it less often |
Fictional products. Every real result comes with the expected sales and profit, and a likely range.
Your options
Every option has a fixed price, agreed before we start.
Promotion plan
- The best promotions for each product
- Price plan for each retailer
- Scenario model and a walk-through
Pricing and promotion review
- Everything in the promotion plan
- Prices and promotions for the whole range
- How your products take sales from each other
Portfolio review
- Everything in the pricing review
- More retailers and data sources
- A plan for each channel
After the project: a refresh before each pricing round, from £2,000.
How it works
From the first call to your plan in about three weeks.
A free 15-minute call
Tell us about your range. We say whether a review would pay for itself, and quote a fixed price.
Your data
Sales by product and retailer, recipes and costs. We sign an NDA before anything moves.
Your plan
Which promotions paid, which to run instead, and a plan for the year, walked through with your team.
UK multibuy ban: the detail
Open only what you need.
- Banned
- Multibuys such as 3 for £5, buy one get one free, extra free, and free refills of less healthy drinks
- Still allowed
- Simple price cuts such as was £1.50 now £1, percentage discounts, and meal deals
- Who
- Businesses with 50 or more staff selling pre-packed less healthy food and drink
- Less healthy
- A nutrient profile score of 1 or more for drinks and 4 or more for food, in covered categories such as soft drinks with added sugar, sweets, crisps, cakes and biscuits
- Placement
- In England since October 2022: no less healthy products within 2 metres of a checkout, at aisle ends or near entrances in stores of 2,000 sq ft or more, or in the same places online
- Where and when
- England since 1 October 2025, Wales since 26 March 2026 and Scotland since 1 October 2026. Northern Ireland consulted on similar rules in 2026.
Drop it
Promotions that only pull sales forward from the next weeks lose money.
Switch to a price cut
A simple cut can still drive volume. Find the depth that pays.
Back the winners
Put your support behind the promotions that earned their cost.
What is the HFSS multibuy ban?
Larger businesses can't sell less healthy (HFSS) food and drink on volume deals such as 3 for £5, buy one get one free or extra free, or put them at checkouts, aisle ends and entrances in larger stores.
Are meal deals still allowed?
Yes. Meal deals, where items are sold to be eaten together as one meal, are still allowed, and so are simple price cuts.
Does the multibuy ban apply in Scotland and Wales?
Yes: in Wales since 26 March 2026 and in Scotland since 1 October 2026, after England on 1 October 2025. Northern Ireland consulted on similar rules in 2026.
Are zero-sugar drinks covered by the ban?
No. Drinks without added sugar aren't classed as less healthy, so they can still be promoted freely.
How much does a promotion plan cost?
A plan for up to 10 products has a fixed price from £7,500 and takes about three weeks. For 11 to 50 products it costs around £17,500. It starts with a free 15-minute call.
- GOV.UK, Restricting promotions of HFSS products by location and by volume price: implementation guidance
- legislation.gov.uk, The Food (Promotion and Presentation) (Wales) Regulations 2025
- Scottish Government, Food promotion rules in Scotland from 1 October 2026
- Department of Health (NI) and FSA, Consultation on restricting promotions of HFSS products
Checked on 20 October 2026. Rules and rates change, so check the official source before making decisions. This page is not tax advice.