High fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) product reformulations will help stores determine refit plans sooner than expected, a leading retail expert has revealed.

The government’s anti-obesity law comes into force in October, and will limit the promotion and placement of products such as chocolate, crisps and soft drinks. Stores with 50 or more employees, but under 2,000sq ft, will be exempt from location restrictions.

In a bid to not be impacted by restrictions, food and drink suppliers have begun launching brand reformulation strategies in the past two months, making key lines available as non-HFSS.