Whitworths has launched a nationwide billboard campaign urging policymakers to recognise nuts as part of the UK’s 5-a-day guidance.

The health-focused food brand has rolled out a two-week out-of-home campaign across more than 116 sites, designed to highlight the health benefits of eating more nuts.

The campaign features large-format screens in high-footfall and high-influence locations, including sites near hospitals, government buildings and major newspaper offices.

Whitworths said the campaign forms part of its wider push to encourage more positive dietary change, arguing that public health messaging remains too focused on restriction rather than adding nutrient-dense foods into everyday diets.

The brand said poor diet is now the leading driver of preventable death, disease and lost years of healthy life in the UK, with projections suggesting 71 per cent of UK adults could be overweight or obese by 2040.

Whitworths is calling for nuts to be included within the UK’s 5-a-day guidance, claiming the move could help shift consumer behaviour and reduce long-term disease risk.

The company said its research found almost two-thirds of people would be more likely to add nuts to their diet if they were recognised as part of 5-a-day.

Whitworths commercial director and director of health Phil Gowland said: “If we are serious about improving the nation’s health, we must close the nutrition gap – not just fight the excess.

“Our latest marketing activity brings us one step closer to achieving our mission of nuts being included in the 5-a-day guidance in the UK.

“Studies show that consuming a small daily portion of nuts, 25g, can reduce cardiovascular disease risk by 50 per cent and lower diabetes type 2 risk by 24 per cent, as well as supporting healthy weight management.

“Large international research studies suggest regular nut consumption is also linked to a lower risk of premature death. Our own research shows that increasing nut consumption could save up to 20,000 lives each year – twice the number of lives saved by statins.”

The billboard activity follows the launch of Whitworths’ Gaps to Gains paper at a parliamentary event in March, which called on government to address what the brand describes as society’s nutrition gap.

Whitworths said the campaign was designed to build momentum behind its call for food policy reform and encourage consumers to make small, achievable changes to improve long-term health.

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