Meaningfully tackling the UK’s obesity problem
The Health and Social Care Select Committee’s latest report represents a significant missed opportunity to recommend policies that bring together government, industry and the third sector to meaningfully tackle the UK’s obesity problem. The report reiterates a focus on advertising restrictions – a policy intervention that decades of empirical research has shown to be ineffective.
Advertising has little to no causal effect on long-term childhood obesity or BMI. True public health drivers lie in addressing social inequality, food affordability and accessibility.
The advertising industry has consistently listened to evidence of what works. This is why businesses have invested millions into positive, behaviour-change campaigns such as Eat Them to Defeat Them. Conversely, poorly evidenced advertising restrictions do nothing to improve public health.
They do, however, reduce money for commercial media, thereby reducing investment in journalism and content, and in the case of restrictions on outdoor media, reduce the money raised for local councils to invest.
They also make it less likely businesses will innovate, meaning reduced choices and potentially increased prices during an already challenging economic climate. All of this is anti-growth and simply won’t unlock the positive benefits that advertising ultimately delivers by helping businesses compete, grow and create jobs.
Chris Walker, director of public and external affairs, Advertising Association
Coping with rejection
Buy now, pay later has had a dramatic impact since arriving in this country in 2014. The sector is worth £28bn, with 23 million people using it, according to The Payments Association.
With growth has come criticism, in particular that BNPL encourages people into unmanageable debt. So, since 15 July, new FCA rules mean BNPLs will now be mandated to run affordability checks for borrowers. It is expected that those changes will mean that between 10% and 30% of current BNPL users will no longer be able to use it.
That means millions of Brits are more likely to be denied BNPL. This impacts retailers’ takings, but also their reputation. Even though it is a BNPL provider that turns down a customer for credit, a customer often won’t see the distinction. So how to respond?
Asking BNPL partners for information about who they are now declining will help you build a picture of the new laws’ impact. You could also ask them what they give rejected customers. Knowing how hard this sector works to support communities, I’m sure many of you are already thinking about adapting finance options, customer journeys, loyalty schemes and other processes.
Chris Bennett, chief commercial officer, Fair for You
Low & no wine experience
Moderation has moved into the mainstream, reshaping the drinks aisle and influencing everything from product innovation to purchasing decisions. The UK’s no & low-alcohol market grew by 47% between 2022 and 2023, while IWSR forecasts the category will add £0.8bn in incremental value by 2028.
At the same time, functional drinks have emerged as one of the industry’s fastest-growing categories. It’s tempting to see these two movements as competing for the same consumer. But treating alcohol-free as simply another wellness proposition risks overlooking what has made it successful.
Consumers don’t choose alcohol-free wine because they want a healthier soft drink. They choose it because they still want the experience of wine.
Functional drinks cannot fulfil this shopper mission, but they certainly can for wellness-first shoppers. Both categories have an important role to play, but they meet different needs.
For retailers and suppliers, that’s the opportunity. Success won’t come from forcing every drink into a wellness narrative, but from recognising that today’s consumers choose different drinks for different occasions.
Dan Harwood, wine expert and MD, Eisberg’s SW Wines Europe
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