UK's ASA bans Lidl and Iceland ads for promoting high-fat, salt and sugar foods
Online advertisers must stop paid promotion of high-fat, salt or sugar products immediately
Change
UK's ASA banned paid Instagram and Daily website ads from Lidl and Iceland for promoting items high in fat, salt and sugar, enforcing the online advertising prohibition that has been policed since 5 January.
Why it matters
Paid digital channels can no longer carry promotional creative that showcases items high in fat, salt or sugar, narrowing acceptable content for sponsored posts, influencer marketing and display ads. Advertisements that breach the rule will be removed and can trigger formal ASA rulings against the advertiser.
Implications
- — Supermarket digital marketing teams — must immediately remove or pause any paid online ads and sponsored influencer posts that feature items high in fat, salt or sugar — otherwise those ads will be removed and result in ASA rulings against the advertiser.
- — Advertising agencies running paid social and programmatic campaigns for food retailers — must audit live campaigns and halt placements that promote items high in fat, salt or sugar now — or placements will be pulled and clients will face ASA sanctions and ad removals.
Unlock the decision layer.
Know what's at risk and what to do next.
- Implications: What this forces you to change — operations, exposure, or compliance.
- Who is affected: Which roles, contracts, and obligations are exposed.
- What to watch: Binding deadlines and enforcement dates.
- Real-time alerts: Delivered the moment a binding change is published.
- Ask AI: Ask what this means for your specific role.
No credit card · 14-day trial · Active in seconds
Unlock the decision layer