New Rules Proposed to Boost Fruit and Vegetable Visibility in Major Supermarkets

A new proposal is gaining momentum in the UK, calling on major supermarkets including Aldi, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, and Lidl to prominently display fruit and vegetables. Members of Parliament (MPs) are urging the government to introduce regulations that require supermarkets to position these healthy options near entrances and checkouts, encouraging healthier purchasing habits among consumers.

The initiative also includes a push for mandatory front-of-pack, traffic light-style labeling on all food items, helping shoppers quickly identify healthier and less healthy options—a system already adopted by some supermarket chains. Furthermore, MPs recommend that the government require food producers to disclose what percentage of their sales comes from healthy versus unhealthy products to promote transparency.

MPs criticize the government for hesitating to challenge industry pushback, urging ministers to act boldly against delays in implementing measures aimed at reducing poor diets. However, the Advertising Association has expressed skepticism about the plan’s potential impact on obesity rates, stating that extensive research shows advertising restrictions alone do not lead to significant changes in long-term obesity or body mass index (BMI).

In addition to supermarket display changes, the proposed measures include banning fast food outlets near schools. Layla Moran, chair of the committee and Liberal Democrat MP, stresses the need to reduce exposure to unhealthy food promotions seen during daily activities—whether on screens, during the school commute, or at store checkouts.

“It is common sense that reducing temptations near schools and in areas with high childhood obesity rates will help curb the ongoing epidemic,” Moran said. She also emphasized that upcoming reforms to national planning regulations should empower local authorities to regulate fast food outlet placements to safeguard children’s health.