{"id":3738,"date":"2024-08-30T09:18:16","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T08:18:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/?p=3738"},"modified":"2026-04-20T16:14:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T15:14:55","slug":"hfss-whats-going-on-and-what-should-we-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/blog\/hfss-whats-going-on-and-what-should-we-do\/","title":{"rendered":"HFSS | What\u2019s going on and what should we do?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3738\" class=\"elementor elementor-3738\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-263d98bd e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"263d98bd\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2561a957 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2561a957\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>By Jo <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jo-zukunft-1915aa3a\/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_pulse_read%3BqyvNrT3TR8WJtx9sGFGGdA%3D%3D\" rel=\"noopener\">Zukunft<\/a><\/p><p>Confused? I wouldn\u2019t blame you if you were. Westminster appears to have flipped flopped on this more than the Ross\/Rachel will-they-won\u2019t-they storyline.<\/p><p>But we know from our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/incite_strat7-incite-the-future-of-the-insights-activity-7227306445195669505-g-uH?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_pulse_read%3BqyvNrT3TR8WJtx9sGFGGdA%3D%3D\" rel=\"noopener\">recent panel discussion<\/a> with leading client-side researchers that proactivity is a critical skill for insights teams. So now is the moment to get ahead of the future HFSS regulation changes.<\/p><p>Hopefully the below offers some useful thoughts, and if you\u2019re hungry for more just send us a message at <a href=\"mailto:london@incite-global.com\">london@incite-global.com<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0bd3517 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"0bd3517\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d25b49a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d25b49a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>What\u2019s going on?<\/h3><p>October 2022 was all about retail placement, and from October 2025 promotion and advertising regulations will come into effect. Volume-based promotions are expected to be banned and any paid for advertising \u2013 TV and online \u2013 heavily scrutinised.<\/p><p>It\u2019s a daunting prospect for brands, but being proactive and having a clear response will help safeguard. And that\u2019s where we can help&#8230;<\/p><h3>Actions taken by brands so far<\/h3><p>Innovation has been the main response.<\/p><p><strong>Reformulation:<\/strong> from our work on this topic, we know consumers are demanding more from brands, expecting food which keeps to the regulations but which also doesn\u2019t compromise on the signature sensory and taste experiences they love.<\/p><ul><li><strong>Example:<\/strong> Goodfella\u2019s reformulating to remove saturated fat, salt and excess calories.<\/li><\/ul><p>And if reformulation isn\u2019t an option, <strong>Reconfiguration<\/strong> has been popular response.<\/p><ul><li><strong>Example:<\/strong> Mr Kipling going mini. Offering portion-controlled, bite-sized versions of the nation\u2019s favourite sweet treats.<\/li><\/ul><p>But, if you find yourself among brands struggling to create HFSS compliant products (as many do), pivoting towards <strong>&#8216;Better for you&#8217;<\/strong> alternatives is another option.<\/p><ul><li><strong>Example:<\/strong> McVitie\u2019s extending its Digestives range with \u2018Wholesense\u2019 &#8211; 30% less sugar and 50% more fibre than other digestives.<br \/><br \/><\/li><\/ul><h3>So, what should we do now?<\/h3><p>Now is the time for action and today we are focussing on three ideas on the brand and media planning side of things.<\/p><h4>1 \/ Brand advertising<br \/><br \/><\/h4><p>We\u2019re probably all a little guilty of prioritising product and short-term sales over long-term brand building. Perhaps these regulations are our opportunity to spread the love more evenly and invest in longer-term brand-building creative.<\/p><p>After all, wasn\u2019t the most successful advertising campaign nothing to do with the product itself? Cue Phil Collins: \u201cI can feel it coming\u2026.\u201d<\/p><p><strong>Now is the time to invest in brand building creative and activities.<\/strong><\/p><h4>2 \/ Purpose driven advertising<br \/><br \/><\/h4><p>Yes, there\u2019s been some debate around this, but it\u2019s a good way to put your brand front and centre. We know brands will be able to advertise pre-watershed and online, providing they don\u2019t show specific HFSS products. Purpose-driven advertising is a smart way of putting the brand\u2019s purpose front and centre.<\/p><p><strong>Now is the time to be considering causes and partnerships which align with your brand\u2019s core values. Think <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thedrum.com\/news\/2023\/06\/22\/maltesers-wants-lighten-the-load-working-mums\" rel=\"noopener\">Maltesers\u2019 Motherlover<\/a> campaign and Skittles\u2019 long-standing association with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skittles.com\/pride\" rel=\"noopener\">Pride.<\/a><\/strong><\/p><h4>3 \/ Exploring new channels<br \/><br \/><\/h4><p>TV and online are going to be heavily impacted once the new rules take effect. So where else can we show up? Perhaps more brands will adopt Red Bull\u2019s tactics around more experience-led advertising? Or we could see greater investment in social media presence?<\/p><p>And advertising on digital-only audio will go largely untouched by the new regulations. Perhaps motivating us to pay more attention to jingles and \u2018sonic logos\u2019 in campaign strategy?<\/p><p><strong>Now is the time to branch out, get creative and enjoy experimenting to reach our existing and new audiences.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fdf554d elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"fdf554d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dba9356 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dba9356\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u00a0Need a hand with shaping your brand strategy, portfolio planning or advertising strategy with the HFSS regulations in mind? Drop us a line at <a href=\"mailto:london@incite-global.com\">london@incite-global.com<\/a>, we can help.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Jo Zukunft Confused? I wouldn\u2019t blame you if you were. Westminster appears to have flipped flopped on this more than the Ross\/Rachel will-they-won\u2019t-they storyline. But we know from our recent panel discussion with leading client-side researchers that proactivity is a critical skill for insights teams. So now is the moment to get ahead of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3774,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3738"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3738\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5702,"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3738\/revisions\/5702"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/incite.strat7.com\/en_us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}