Popular snacks are stacked with sugar and salt

Campaigners have urged suppliers of crisps, nuts and popcorn to improve the nutritional profile of their products after research found the vast majority would fail to meet new advertising rules.

Researchers from Action on Salt and Sugar, based at Queen Mary University of London, analysed over 1,200 popular snacks and found 77% of crisps and 88% of popcorn would be scored ‘less healthy’ under UK Government guidelines meaning they will not be able to be advertised on TV and online before 9pm from October 2025 in their current form. Over half (56%) of nuts also scored ‘less healthy’ however nuts are exempt from the new restrictions.

Despite often being regarded as a healthier snack, 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 and onion crisps. Meanwhile, 42% of popcorn surveyed would receive a red warning label for total sugars.

One in three crisp products require a high (red) salt warning label on the front of the pack, while nearly one in four flavoured nuts also exceed salt targets.

Campaigners said the results showed voluntary efforts to improve the nutritional profile of snacks were failing and urged the government to set new stricter, mandatory salt and sugar reduction targets.

They also want to see businesses set a healthier target to have at least 75% of sales from non-HFSS (high in fat, sugar and salt) products.

“It’s clear that voluntary efforts to improve food nutrition have largely fallen short,” said Sonia Pombo, head of impact and research at Action on Salt. “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 implement mandatory targets with strong enforcement.”

In 2020, the now defunct Public Health England set salt reduction targets for 2024 including for the eating out, takeaway and delivery sector. The government has yet to report the final results. 

A voluntary sugar reduction programme ended with targets having been largely missed by retailers and out of home businesses.

New rules coming into force in October mean companies will no longer be allowed to advertise less healthy products before 9pm on TV and online with the aim of limiting the exposure of unhealthy food to children.