I wanted to share with you a letter, written from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), as well as UK Hospitality and the Advertising Association, to the Prime Minister highlighting our concerns regarding the proposed online advertising ban consultation, announced last week.
It is co-signed by a number of our leading companies and household brands, but we are really concerned about the large numbers of small local businesses that form the backbone of our industry who will be damaged or even put out of business by this proposal.
From a local businesses’ perspective, the currently proposed advertising bans, especially online, will have large impacts on what can and cannot be advertised to a local community.
For example, under the suggested bans, it could mean that local wedding cake businesses would not be able to advertise their creations or market their products on social media platforms such as Instagram due to be classified as a product ‘high in sugar, fat and salt’.
It could also restrict or ban the promotion of a charity bake sale on a local online forum, a local butcher may not be able to promote its finest bacon and a baker would not be able to share their latest creations such as Bakewell Tarts, Cornish pasties, Scotch Eggs or Welsh Cakes.
For a newer business, which we know are already facing enormous pressure in the current climate, it may limit their ability to promote newer products. How can they raise awareness of the company or their products to consumers if they cannot promote it using advertising mechanisms?
Those signing the letter represent more than 800 food and drink manufacturers and 3,000 leading UK brands. The food and drink industry alone is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, worth more than £28bn to the economy, employing almost 500,000 people.
Please find our letter attached in full (see below).
Best wishes,
Rachel Bickerstaffe
Corporate Affairs Administrator
Food and Drink Federation
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