Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of adopting the revised Nutrient Profiling Model on (a) product reformulation, (b) healthier product innovation and (c) investment in the UK food and drink sector.

As set out in our Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, we will take decisive action on the obesity crisis, easing the strain on our National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever. As part of this, the Government committed to updating the standards behind the restrictions on advertising ‘less healthy’ food or drink products on television before 9:00pm and online at any time, as well as the restrictions on the promotion of ‘less healthy’ food and drink products by location and volume price by applying the new Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM).

The advertising and promotions restrictions currently rely on the outdated NPM 2004/05. The new NPM has been updated in line with the latest dietary advice from the United Kingdom’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, particularly in relation to free sugar and fibre. Applying it to the restrictions will strengthen these policies by bringing more products of concern for children’s health into scope.

The Government published the new NPM on 27 January and launched a 12-week consultation on its proposed application to the advertising and promotions restrictions on 25 March. A consultation-stage impact assessment of the direct costs to businesses and intended health outcomes was published alongside. A final impact assessment would be published prior to amending the advertising and promotions restrictions legislation.