Why you won’t see mince pies in many Christmas adverts this year

Mince pies are probably the food most associated with Christmas in the UK. Their presence on supermarket shelves after Halloween or earlier is a sign that the festive season is fast approaching.

Another sign is the plethora of TV adverts hitting our screens from November onwards as retailers try to get our attention before the big day arrives.

Supermarket advertisements are usually chock full of the sight of delicious festive foods, and given how important mince pies are to the season, these cute little filled pastries usually make an appearance along with the rest of the celebration.

But that is no longer the case. Brits may have noticed that mince pies are largely missing from this year’s Christmas adverts from Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Lidl and others.

Instead, Waitrose representatives said at the launch of their advert on Tuesday that they would be releasing a mince pie-specific Christmas advert which will air after 9pm.

Why are mince pies missing from Christmas advertising in 2025?

Their absence is due to new rules on advertising foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS), also known as junk food.

The new rules, which came into force on October 1, 2025, prevent brands from advertising “less healthy foods and drinks” on television before 9 p.m.

The tipping point applies to a variety of foods that fall into the HFSS category, including those commonly consumed this time of year.

Christmas pudding, custard and trifle, along with minced meat pieces, fall into category 9 of the regulation, which covers “all types of puddings and desserts, including mixtures”.

Roast potatoes are also banned before 9pm as they fall under category 12, which covers “potato and sweet potato products” and includes hash browns, hash browns and “novel potato shapes (such as smiley faces)”.

As part of the new rules, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has also introduced a complete ban on paid online advertising of products that fall into the HFSS categories.

What is the point of the new advertising rules?

The British government said new laws on junk food advertising would help prevent children being exposed to unhealthy foods and were part of plans to curb childhood obesity.

So while some of our favorite Christmas foods are missing from screens during the day, retailers may be running targeted advertising for products like mince pies after 9pm.

DHSC said the ban on paid online junk food advertising will also “reduce children’s excessive exposure to many foods high in fat, sugar or salt and help tackle rising rates of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease”.

The measures are expected to remove an estimated 7.2 billion calories a year from children’s diets, according to the government. Experts hope this will prevent an estimated 20,000 cases of childhood obesity. This map shows where childhood obesity is prevalent in the UK.

Are HFSS Food Restrictions Working?

Although the new laws have only been in force since October 1, 2025, research suggests that previous restrictions on HFSS foods in supermarkets have helped reduce the number of less healthy products bought by Brits.

In 2022, the government banned supermarkets from placing junk food products in key locations in their stores, such as store entrances, ends of aisles and checkouts, and also banned multiple purchase offers of foods that fall into the HFSS category.

Earlier this year, results of the first independent analysis of the regulations, carried out in England by the University of Leeds, found that Brits were buying “significantly” fewer HFSS products.

The study estimated that two million fewer HFSS products were sold each day after the new law came into force.

Which foods are considered HFSS?

1. Prepared soft drinks with added sugar ingredients, including:

• Sodas, cola and fruit-based squash drinks and energy drinks

• Juice drinks, fruit juices and smoothies

• Milk-based drinks, milk substitute drinks with added sugar or sweeteners, coffee drinks with additives (e.g. mocha, frappes, caramel, vanilla, chai and hazelnut lattes and caramel macchiato)

2. Savory snacks including:

• Savory crackers, rice cakes and cookies

• Chickpea or lentil based chips

3. Breakfast cereals, including:

• Oatmeal, including instant porridge and other oat-based spicy cereals

4. Confectionery, including:

• Popcorn, sweet or sweet-salty mixed

• Chocolate covered nuts, peanuts, seeds and fruits

• White, milk and dark chocolate

5. Ice cream and popsicles, including:

• Ice cream (also vegan and lactose-free alternatives)

6. Cakes and cupcakes, including:

7. Sweet cookies and bars, including:

• Rice or corn cakes with a sweet taste

• Filled and unfilled sweet cookies and biscuits

8. Sweet pastries and rolls, including:

• Croissant, pain au chocolat and similar pastries

9. Desserts and puddings including:

• Sweet cakes (e.g. apple pie, mince pies)

• Dairy desserts, like chocolate pots

10. Sweetened yogurt and cream cheese, including:

• Greek-style flavored yogurts

11. Pizza, including:

• Deep pans, deep plates, thin-crust and stuffed pizzas

• All types of toppings and all sizes

12. Potatoes and sweet potato products, including:

• Potato and sweet potato chips, fries and wedges

• Unusual potato shapes (e.g. smileys)

Read the full list of HFSS foods affected by the new advertising regulations here.

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