Morrisons has announced it will continue to offer HFSS multibuy deals in a bid to help customers face the cost of living crisis.
The Big 4 grocer is the first of the supermarket giants to reveal it will continue to offer the volume deals, following the announcement made by the UK government that it will be delaying the clampdown.
Despite being planned for this October, the high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) foods and drinks multi-buy promotion ban has been pushed back by a full year – primarily, according to Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) officials, as a result of the “unprecedented” squeeze on living standards.
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The HFSS policy would have banned multibuy deals on ‘unhealthy’ foods and drinks – including buy one get one free (BOGOF), ‘3 for 2’, and restricting free refills for soft drinks.
It will now be delayed until October 2023.
Last week, Big 4 rival Tesco announced it would be axing volume promotions on HFSS products from October, regardless of the delay.
Sainsbury’s has also announced it will follow the original timeline and had phased out multibuy offers in 2016.
A Morrisons spokesperson told The Grocer: “The government will continue to permit multibuy deals in light of the cost of living crisis and our approach will reflect this.”
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