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Golden Quarter: Why you should keep media running into January 2027
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As of the start of the year, restrictions on advertising less healthy food and drink products are live, changing how brands and retailers can use TV and digital media before the watershed.
If you are navigating HFSS right now, access the guide here to understand what to adjust and where to focus.
High in Fat, Sugar or Salt rules restrict such products from appearing in advertising, particularly in online display and TV before 9pm. While general branding is still permitted, for retailers and their partners, that shift lands right in the middle of trading, media planning and monetisation.
The initial impact is operational. Campaigns need new checks, familiar creatives may no longer run at key times, and high demand placements can be harder to fill. The second impact is commercial. If the buying experience becomes complex or inventory feels constrained, budgets move quickly elsewhere.
Yes, if retailers adapt early. HFSS changes the balance between product led advertising and audience led strategies. It also increases the value of compliant formats, richer creative, and environments where rules are built into the workflow rather than managed manually.
This is where preparation matters. Retailers that move first can reduce friction for brands, protect revenue and create clearer routes to performance.
The guide focuses on how retailers can adapt onsite and offsite media strategies to manage HFSS restrictions without slowing growth. It also outlines how platforms can support compliance while keeping media attractive to buy.
