LHF Regulations: Azerion research shows story-led, compliant ads outperform others, turning LHF rules into a creative opportunity for clearer, trusted storytelling
Azerion’s Future-Proofing LHF Advertising white paper explores how brands can maintain effectiveness under upcoming UK restrictions on less healthy food (LHF) advertising. With digital display ads entering a voluntary compliance phase in October 2025 and full enforcement in January 2026, the research tests how creative strategies can adapt when traditional product-led advertising becomes non-compliant.
Through testing across chocolate, biscuit, and fast-food categories, Azerion compared story-led, brand-led, situation-led, and product-led creatives. The findings reveal that story-led advertising is the most effective compliant approach, outperforming others across awareness, clarity, opinion, and consideration. Storytelling maintains engagement and emotional warmth while ensuring clarity when paired with explicit product cues such as verbal mentions (“chocolate”, “chicken”) or subtle visual hints.
Generational differences also emerged: younger audiences respond naturally to narrative-led ads, while older groups require clearer brand or product cues for comprehension. Brand-led and situation-led strategies can reinforce awareness and relatability but are less persuasive on their own.
Ultimately, the research reframes compliance as an opportunity - not a constraint. By embracing narrative-led creativity, incorporating clear cues, and tailoring content by audience age, brands can strengthen trust, clarity, and effectiveness while remaining fully compliant with LHF regulations
Posted on: Wednesday 22 October 2025