With less than eight months to go until the UK’s advertising ban on junk food kicks in, a new report from Action on Salt and Sugar based at Queen Mary University of London reveals that most savoury snacks on supermarket shelves fail to meet the government’s ‘healthier’ criteria, due in part to excessive salt and sugars.
With the upcoming restrictions set to impact companies that fail to reformulate, Action on Salt and Sugar is urging companies to improve the nutritional profile of their products.
In the analysis of over 1,200 crisps, nuts and popcorn snacks, 77% of crisps, 56% of nuts, and 88% of popcorn would be scored ‘less healthy’ under the government’s guidelines –restricting some products from being advertised on TV and online before 9pm from October 2025.
Often regarded as a healthier snack, many ready-to-eat popcorn products were found to contain excessive levels of salt and sugar. 27% of all ready-to-eat popcorn products exceed the government’s voluntary maximum salt targets – with over one in three saltier than a packet of cheese & onion crisps. Meanwhile, 42% of popcorn surveyed would also receive a red warning label for total sugars.
The study noted that some crisps also continue to provide excessive levels of salt in people’s diets, with one in three products requiring a high (red) salt warning label on the front of the pack.
Meanwhile, plain nuts are naturally low in salt, but many flavoured varieties fail to meet healthier standards. Nearly one in four flavoured nuts were found to exceed salt targets.
While many snacks are high in salt and sugars, the data presents a wide variation in nutrition content, demonstrating that, in many cases, it is unnecessary, and they can be made with less salt and sugar.
Despite evidence that salt reduction is achievable, the research found that only eight companies have fully met the salt targets set for these snacks, with a further four achieving ≥95% compliance. Nine companies have failed to meet the targets in at least half their snacks portfolio, despite being given four years to succeed.
Sonia Pombo, Head of Impact and Research at Action on Salt, commented: “It’s clear that voluntary efforts to improve food nutrition have largely fallen short. Yet this isn’t about feasibility, as some companies have already shown that reformulation is possible. It’s about time the government get tough with companies and implements mandatory targets with strong enforcement. Without this, the UK’s hidden salt and sugar crisis will persist, putting consumers at risk and leaving responsible brands at a disadvantage in an uneven marketplace.”
Kate Howard, Campaign Coordinator for Recipe for Change, added: The range of sugar and salt in the snacks surveyed here shows there’s plenty of scope to reduce these ingredients, but while some companies are doing better, most are not incentivised to improve their products. The public doesn’t believe companies will produce healthier food without government regulation, and they’re currently being proved right.”
NAM Implications:
- A key issue for savoury snacks is the extent to which their appeal depends upon taste…
- …and advertising.
- It follows that if this research is applied to the letter under the junk food ad ban…
- …then, come October, there will be significant opportunities for rivals that comply.
- Over to you…
