To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the comparative financial impact of restrictions on the promotion and placement of products that are high in fat, salt and sugar on (a) lower income and (b) other households; and what steps he plans to take to help mitigate any potential disproportionate impact on lower income households in the context of the rising cost of living.
Answered on
28 March 2022
The impact assessment for volume promotions such as ‘buy one get one free’ shows that it increases spending by 20% by encouraging households to purchase more than they need or intended to buy. The impact assessment for location promotions shows the placement of products within stores also significantly affects household spending, with end of aisle displays increasing sales of soft drinks by over 50%.