Google Prohibits High Fat Sugar Salt Food & Beverage Targeting Minors In UK & EU

Google Merchant Center posted a new policy that prohibits advertising and promoting High Fat Sugar Salt (HFSS) Food and Beverage (F&B) ads for minors in the United Kingdom and European Union. Again, this is only in the UK and EU and only when targeting minors.

The policy update was posted here and wrote “Shopping supports responsible advertising of food and beverages.” “High Fat Sugar Salt (HFSS) Food & Beverage (F&B) Shopping ads are allowed if they comply with our policies. We consider ads to be promoting the sale of HFSS products when one or more HFSS food item, beverage, or meal is promoted in the ad (text, imagery, audio and/or video) or destination site. Specifically, Shopping ads that contain HFSS foods and beverages are now prohibited from targeting minors,” Google said.

This policy change only applies to Shopping ads and not free product listings. So free Google organic results both in web search and merchant center are fine – this is just for ads.

Here is the full policy.

Forum discussion at Twitter.