Evidence suggests that consumers who buy more of their food and drink on promotion, purchase more HFSS (high in fat, salt or sugar) foods and are more likely to experience obesity. There are a number of avenues through which improved data on food and drink promotion could accelerate Welsh policy interventions that are aimed at curbing the promotion of HFSS foods. For example, data on Welsh residents' exposure to HFSS products via television and online spaces, could put pressure on the UK Parliament to push through proposed advertising restrictions that are currently postponed (and at risk of being scrapped). Similarly, data on advertising in public spaces (of HFSS products) could help build a case for, and support the effective implementation of, restrictions (such as in train stations or near schools) — actions that the Welsh Government has previously committed to considering. Finally, data on Welsh people’s exposure to price and placement promotions for HFSS foods would support the implementation of restrictions and bans; these measures were a focus of the recent Healthy Food Environment consultation.

The largest hurdle to improving our understanding of promotions and advertising is the large array of mediums, which range from billboards to web pages, and from sponsorships to loyalty apps. A second challenge is the personalisation of online platforms — two visitors to the same website will not necessarily see the same adverts, which means that some groups may be more heavily exposed to HFSS advertising than others. A third hurdle is defining what constitutes HFSS advertising, particularly when a brand sells many products, only some of which may be classed as HFSS. A final challenge is the difficulty of capturing in-store promotions (such as end-of-aisle discounts), which may change frequently and may be unique to each store. The fact that some of this data is available to purchase suggests collection is feasible; finding ways to open this data up for public use could add significant value.