High Fat Salt & Sugar (HFSS) Advertising Policy

As a responsible Out of Home (OOH) media and infrastructure business we have voluntarily chosen to implement additional measures across our advertising estate relating to all advertising, regardless of category, that includes imagery of HFSS food products.

Outsmart (the trade association for the OOH industry) recommends that OOH media owners do not display HFSS advertisements within 100m of schools.

Bauer Media Outdoor UK has applied a 200m exclusion zone around all schools; something we call a ‘prohibition’. This means approximately 10,000 displays operated by Bauer Media Outdoor UK do not show HFSS advertisements. This equates to approximately a third of our entire advertising estate.

There are a small number of contracts where Local Authorities have implemented their own additional HFSS additional restrictions. Details can be found below.

All sites with a HFSS prohibition are labelled within our campaign booking and delivery systems to ensure the systematic execution of these prohibitions. We work closely with clients to support them in their campaign planning process and understanding of these restrictions.

As is highlighted in our general terms and conditions of sale, it is the responsibility of advertisers

to inform Bauer Media Outdoor UK where a proposed campaign features any HFSS products, in accordance with the Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling model.

Our HFSS measures align with current guidance from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP).

The HFSS prohibitions exist in addition to restrictions on the display of alcohol, gambling, and nicotine product advertising around schools and within communities where there are cultural sensitivities.

Additional information is available on request.

We continue to review our approach, and engage in conversation with local authorities, to ensure that we apply fair and proportionate measures to protect children and young people, whilst balancing the requirements of our advertising clients.

For any enquiries, please contact your Bauer Media Outdoor UK representative.

Regional restrictions

Bristol City Council (Adshel + Adshel Live) – shelters and free-standing units): no HFSS advertising across the Adshel and Adshel Live networks that are operated on behalf of Bristol City Council. Additionally, creatives for food or drink brands, where no food or drink product is featured directly, cannot appear unless the advertisement promotes healthier options (i.e. non-HFSS products) as the basis of the copy.
London Borough of Islington (Adshel Live – Free Standing Units): no HFSS advertising across the Adshel Live network that is operated on behalf of London Borough of Islington.
Chiswick Towers (Storm): no HFSS advertising on this site, which is operated in partnership with Transport for London.
LNER (Classic and Digital): no HFSS products.
Swindon Borough Council (Adshel Live & Adshel Classic): no HFSS advertising across the Adshel Live & Adshel Classic network that is operated on behalf of Swindon Borough Council.
Dartford Borough Council (Adshel Live & Adshel Classic): no HFSS advertising across the Adshel Live & Adshel Classic network that is operated on behalf of Dartford Borough Council.
Cheshire West & Chester (Adshel Live & Classic): No HFSS across the Adshel Live & Adshel Classic network that is operated on behalf of Cheshire West & Chester Borough Council.
Crewe & Nantwich (Adshel Live & Classic): No HFSS across the Adshel Live & Adshel Classic network that is operated on behalf of Crewe & Nantwich borough Council.
Vale Royal (Adshel Live & Classic): No HFSS across the Adshel Live & Adshel Classic network that is operated on behalf of Vale Royal Borough Council.
Hackney (Adshel Live – Free Standing Units): no HFSS advertising across the Adshel Live network that is operated on behalf of London Borough of Hackney.
Ellesmere Port (Adshel Classic): no HFSS advertising across the Adshel Classic panels that are operated on behalf of Ellesmere Port Borough Council.
Macclesfield (Adshel Classic): no HFSS advertising across the Adshel Classic panels that are operated on behalf of Macclesfield Borough Council.
Congleton (Adshel Classic): no HFSS advertising across the Adshel Classic panels that are operated on behalf of Congleton Borough Council.

‍