Position Statement on Price and Location Promotions of high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) products - November 2023

Obesity Action Scotland supports the introduction of restrictions on price and location promotions of high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) discretionary products. Such restrictions should be focused on improving the diet and health of the population.

Current price and location promotions are skewed in favour of discretionary HFSS products and encourage increased purchase and consumption of these products. Promotions influence the types and volume of purchases of HFSS products and encourage impulse buying, with consumers spending more and purchasing products they didn’t intend to buy.

What should be restricted?

In order to be effective, we need extensive coverage of as many types of price and location promotions as possible:

• Temporary price reductions (TPRs) are the most commonly used type of price promotion in Scotland and must be covered by any restrictions or regulations of promotions.
• Multi buys and loyalty pricing along with promotion of value restrictions should also be included.
• Location restrictions should be comprehensive and go beyond aisle-ends, checkouts and entrances.
• Promotions restrictions must apply across retail and out of home (OOH) settings, as well as both in-store and online.
• Non-pre-packed products must also be included in the price and location restrictions.

Obesity Action Scotland supports a simple whole category approach to the identification of HFSS products in scope of restrictions. This would simplify implementation and enforcement and improve understanding. We recommend the use of the World Health Organisation Regional European Office Nutrient Profile Model to identify discretionary food products.

Download our position statement on price and location promotions of high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) products.