A proposed widening of restrictions on unhealthy food advertising could affect about £1bn in ad spending across broadcasters, publishers and digital platforms, the Advertising Association has warned. The government is proposing to apply an updated “nutrient profiling model” (NPM) that decides what counts as “less healthy foods” and dictates whether they can be advertised before 9pm on TV, or at any time online. The Advertising Association said that expanding the definition of less healthy food puts up to £1bn in annual food and drink advertising spending under new restrictions.

A study by Oxford Economics found that £80mn to £100mn would be permanently lost as multinational brands redirected budgets out of the UK. Advertisers could keep spending within the UK market by reformulating products or moving TV ads past the watershed. A separate analysis by the Food and Drink Federation found that there could be a 40 per cent increase in restricted products if the new definitions were implemented.

Premier Foods, Nomad Foods, Danone North Europe, KP Snacks and Carlsberg Britvic have committed to reporting healthy food sales data from next year. The Advertising Association said forcing businesses into a second wave of complex regulatory compliance just months after adapting to the January 2026 rules created red tape and policy instability. Chris Walker, of the Advertising Association, said: “We urge the government to reconsider this policy decision and recognise its real economic impact.