The majority of ready-to-eat popcorn, nuts or crisps could be banned from advertising under the UK’s upcoming anti-obesity legislation due to their hidden salt content, according to new research.
From October 2025, the government is set to ban junk food adverts from appearing on TV between 5:30am and 9pm.
An analysis of over 1,200 crisps, nuts and popcorn snacks by Action on Salt and Sugar has found that the majority fail to meet the government’s criteria due in part to excessive salt and sugars.
Products are classed as junk food under the new law if they are deemed “High in Fat, Salt, and Sugar” (HFSS) as per the UK Nutrient Profiling Model developed by the Food Standards Agency in 2004. The model assigns a score based on the balance of positive and negative nutrients. If a food scores a four or more it is deemed a HFSS product.
According to the group of experts’ research, a staggering 77 per cent of crisps, 56 per cent of nuts, and 88 per cent of popcorn would be scored ‘less healthy’ under the government’s guidelines.
“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.
The Department of Health and social care has said the restrictions are set to be imposed in the hopes it will “encourage the food industry to change their recipes and provide healthier options”. But campaigners have said the research shows these efforts are already falling short.
Ms Pombo said it was “about time” the government got tough by creating mandatory, health-related targets with strong enforcement. “Without this, the UK’s hidden salt and sugar crisis will persist, putting consumers at risk and leaving responsible brands at a disadvantage in an uneven marketplace,” she said.
Specialists at the organisation, based at the Wolfson Institute of Public Health at Queen Mary University of London, also found that nearly one in three ready-to-eat popcorn products are saltier than a packet of cheese & onion crisps, with 27 per cent of all of these snacks exceeding the government’s voluntary maximum salt targets.
The saltiest popcorn was found to be gourmet brand’s Joe & Seph’s Sweet & Salty Popcorn, which had 2.25g salt per 100g.
The study also found that 42 per cent of popcorn analysed also had high levels of sugars, with the worst product being Morrisons Market Street Toffee Flavour Popcorn, which had the equivalent of more than seven teaspoons of sugar per serving.
Surprisingly, some ‘healthy’ crisps were also found to have high levels of salt. Eat Real’s chilli and lemon lentil chips had 3.6g of salt per 100g - saltier than the concentration of seawater.
The study also found that many flavoured varieties of nuts are failing to meet healthier standards ahead of the ban - with nearly one in four of these exceeding salt targets.
Dr Pauline Swift, Chair of Blood Pressure UK said: “Reducing salt isn’t just a health recommendation – it’s a lifesaving necessity. Excess salt, often hidden in everyday foods, raises blood pressure, which is the leading cause of strokes, heart and kidney disease – all of which is completely avoidable.
“Without urgent action to cut both salt and sugar levels, we’re gambling with lives. The government must step up with enforceable targets to protect public health."
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