Relevant Code rule

Marketing communications that contain nutrition or health claims must be supported by documentary evidence to show they meet the conditions of use associated with the relevant claim, as specified in the applicable register. Claims must be presented clearly and without exaggeration.

References to general benefits of a nutrient or food for overall good health or health-related well-being are acceptable only if accompanied by a specific authorised health claim.

Comparative nutrition claims must compare the difference in the claimed nutrient to a range of foods of the same category which do not have a composition which allows them to bear a nutrition claim.

A marketing communication may use one product as the sole reference for comparison only if that product is representative of the products in its category.

The difference in the quantity of a nutrient or energy value must be stated in the marketing communication and must relate to the same quantity of food.

Marketing communications must not condone or encourage excessive consumption of a food.

Marketing communications must not condone or encourage damaging oral health care practices, especially in children.

These are not acceptable in marketing communications for products within the remit of this section:

Claims that state or imply health could be affected by not consuming a food

Claims that state or imply a food prevents, treats or cures human disease. Reduction-of disease-risk claims are acceptable if authorised on the applicable register.

Health claims that refer to the recommendation of an individual health professional. Health claims that refer to the recommendation of an association are acceptable only if that association is a health-related charity or a national representative body of medicine, nutrition or dietetics

References to changes in bodily functions that could give rise to or exploit fear in the audience

Claims of a nutrition or health benefit that gives rise to doubt the safety or nutritional adequacy of another product

Health claims that refer to a rate or amount of weight loss.

Nutrition and health claims for food supplements must be permitted or authorised as provided for at rule 15.1.1 above. Marketing communications that contain nutrition or health claims must be supported by documentary evidence to show they meet the conditions of use associated with the relevant claim as specified in the applicable register.

Marketers must not state or imply that a balanced or varied diet cannot provide appropriate quantities of nutrients in general. Individuals should not be encouraged to swap a healthy diet for supplementation, and without well-established proof, no marketing communication may suggest that a widespread vitamin or mineral deficiency exists.

Marketing communications for foods must not claim to treat clinical vitamin or mineral deficiency.

Except for those in a scientific publication or, for the purposes of trade before the retail stage, a publication of which the intended readers are not the general public, marketing communications for infant formula are prohibited.

Marketing communications must not confuse between infant formula and follow-on formula.

Marketing communications must not condone or encourage poor nutritional habits or an unhealthy lifestyle in children.

Marketing communications must not disparage good dietary practice or the selection of options, such as fresh fruit and fresh vegetables, that accepted dietary opinion recommends should form part of the average diet.

Marketing communications featuring a promotional offer must be prepared with a due sense of responsibility.

HFSS product advertisements that are targeted through their content directly at pre-school or primary school children must not include a promotional offer.

Additionally, for children under 16:

Except those for fresh fruit or fresh vegetables, marketing communications must not seem to encourage children to eat or drink a product only to take advantage of a promotional offer: the product should be offered on its merits, with the offer as an added incentive. Marketing communications featuring a promotional offer must ensure a significant presence for the product

Marketing communications featuring a promotional offer linked to a food product of interest to children must avoid creating a sense of urgency or encouraging the purchase of an excessive quantity for irresponsible consumption

Marketing communications must not encourage children to eat more than they otherwise would

Marketing communications for collection-based promotions must not seem to urge children or their parents to buy excessive quantities of food.

Licensed characters and celebrities popular with children must be used with a due sense of responsibility. HFSS product advertisements that are targeted directly at pre-school or primary school children through their content must not include licensed characters or celebrities popular with children. For the avoidance of doubt, that prohibition applies to food or drink advertisements only.



The prohibition does not apply to advertiser-created equity brand characters (puppets, persons or characters), which may be used by advertisers to sell the products they were designed to sell.



Licensed characters and celebrities popular with children may present factual and relevant generic statements about nutrition, safety, education or similar.

Although children might be expected to exercise some preference over the food they eat or drink, marketing communications must be prepared with a due sense of responsibility and must not directly advise or ask children to buy or to ask their parents or other adults to make enquiries or purchases for them (see rule 5.4.2).

Marketing communications must neither try to sell to children by directly appealing to emotions such as pity, fear or self-confidence nor suggest that having the advertised product somehow confers superiority; for example, making a child more confident, clever, popular or successful.

Marketing communications addressed to children must not urge children to buy or persuade others to buy and must avoid high-pressure or hard-sell techniques. Nothing must suggest that children could be bullied, cajoled or otherwise put under pressure to acquire the advertised item.

Products or prices must not be presented in marketing communications in a way that suggests children or their families can easily afford them.

Claims referring to children's development and health are acceptable if authorised on the applicable register.

HFSS product advertisements must not be directed at people under 16 through the selection of media or the context in which they appear.  No medium should be used to advertise HFSS products, if more than 25% of its audience is under 16 years of age.