Politics · United Kingdom · 4 hrs ago
UK ad rules exempt chocolate spreads despite high sugar levels
Researchers found chocolate spreads are mostly high in sugar and fat in an analysis of products sold in UK supermarkets.
The team from Action on Salt & Sugar, based at Queen Mary University of London, examined 78 chocolate spreads as part of a wider study of 834 spreads.
Current UK advertising restrictions do not cover sweet spreads, including chocolate spreads, jams and marmalades.
The rules, introduced earlier this year to help tackle childhood obesity, restrict advertising for 13 food and drink categories that score poorly on the government’s healthiness test.
Some porridge products face restrictions while chocolate spreads do not, despite the researchers’ findings that 99 per cent of the spreads would be classed as high in fat, salt or sugar.
A typical serving had 6.3g of sugar, and the researchers said one serving of some products could account for almost 40 per cent of a child’s recommended daily free-sugar limit.
The researchers say the exemption is difficult to defend, but no change to the rules is described.
UK rules restrict advertising of 13 categories of foods and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar if they score poorly under the Government’s nutrient profiling model.
Sweet spreads, including chocolate spread, jam and marmalade, are exempt from the restrictions.
A Queen Mary University London team analysed 78 supermarket chocolate spreads and found that 99 per cent would be classified as high in fat, salt and sugar.
The analysis found that 86 per cent of chocolate spreads were high in sugar and 91 per cent were high in saturated fat.
Researchers said the exemption creates an inconsistency because some less sugary foods, including porridge, face advertising restrictions.
- Who
- The UK Government sets the advertising rules; researchers from Action on Salt & Sugar analysed spreads.
- What
- Sweet spreads, including chocolate spreads, are exempt from restrictions on advertising foods high in fat, salt and sugar.
- When
- The rules were introduced earlier in 2026.
- Where
- The United Kingdom.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
UK rules restricting advertising of certain foods and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar were introduced.
Action on Salt & Sugar researchers analysed the nutrient content of chocolate spreads and other spreads.
- Chocolate spreads analysed
- 78
- Classified as high in fat, salt and sugar
- 99 per cent of the 78 chocolate spreads
- High in sugar
- 86 per cent of chocolate spreads
- High in saturated fat
- 91 per cent of chocolate spreads
- Average sugar per 15g serving
- 6.3g
- M&S Whipped Chocolate Spread
- 9.2g of sugar per serving
What people are saying
This loophole is becoming increasingly difficult to defend
You cannot have a system designed to restrict the advertising and promotion of less healthy food, then leave out a category where virtually every chocolate spread fails the Government's own healthiness assessment.
What stood out most from our analysis was just how widespread high sugar levels were across everyday spreads