In a bid to crack down on unhealthy eating and obesity in the nation, the UK government is banning ‘buy one get one free’ promotions on junk food items from 2022.
The new restrictions will be put in place from April 2022 and will apply to food products which are high in fat, salt or sugar. The ban will also apply to free refills on soft drinks in restaurants.
Under the new measures, shops will reportedly be restricted on where they can place certain products, such as putting unhealthy foods near checkouts.
The ban will only apply to stores larger than 2,000 square feet businesses employing more than 50 people.
Public Health Minister Jo Churchill said: “We are restricting promotions and introducing a range of measures to make sure the healthy choice is the easy choice.
“Creating an environment which helps everyone eat healthier foods more regularly is crucial to improving the health of the nation.”
Obesity Health Alliance lead Caroline Cerny added: “Taking the spotlight off junk food means the only buy one get one free offers we see will be on healthier foods.
“Retailers won’t be able to tempt us to impulsively buy tins of sweets in supermarket entrances or chocolate bars in clothes shops.”