Following the government’s publication of guidelines for foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) last month, confusion remains around the legislation and there’s still a lot of work for stores and brands to do, says Sean Field, Store Solutions Category Manager, Northern Europe at CHEP. This uncertainty was exacerbated at the weekend with the U-turn announced by Health Minister Maggie Throup on the promotional mechanic aspects of HFSS (restrictions on advertising and volume promotions).
We’ve already seen an increase in bigger pack sizes appearing in stores, such as 36-pack boxes of crisps, so the multi-buy promotions element of the regulations was always the easier part of the legislation to work around.
But as things stand, location rules are still to be applied in October 2022.
According to a Shopper Intelligence report presented at POPAI’s Spring Shopper Seminar last month, 81% of purchases are influenced by secondary displays, so reducing the number – and crucially, quality – of off-fixture sites accessible to non-compliant products should still help the government with its aims of improving consumers’ diets and reducing obesity in the British population.
There’s been a lot of activity by retailers and manufacturers to support the spirit of the legislation while maintaining the ability to trade these categories. The “Big 4” plus Co-op have all launched tests of in-fixture promotional bays, with Asda being the boldest by using a bold LED “goalpost” display in the Crisps & Snacks aisle.
We’re also seeing more reformulated products hitting the shelves such as Mr Kipling’s Deliciously Good range – it’s noticeable how many trade ads now proudly display “HFSS Compliant” as a key selling point. To meet the spirit of the new legislation but protect sales, retailers and their suppliers need to focus on how shoppers’ shop, think about how they can engage them in the aisle, make the most of the “low quality” compliant off-fixture space, and continue to develop compliant foods – and – do this all without sacrificing productivity in store.
The legislation is still coming, and, even if it is further delayed, the changes that can be made now would still be relatively low-cost and could even drive sales if done well.
For more information visit www.chep.com/uk/en/hfss
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