Free hot chocolate refills banned in Morrisons supermarkets due to new obesity laws
Popular supermarket and restaurant chains have been forced to restrict free refills of hot chocolate drinks as new obesity laws come into force.
Morrisons has announced changes to its unlimited hot drinks offer after long-awaited measures to tackle childhood obesity come into force on October 1. Other chains with similar refill offerings will need to follow suit.
People reacted angrily and branded the policy “dystopian” after the supermarket confirmed customers could no longer get free refills of hot chocolate or mochas.
“This isn’t just the ‘full fat’ coke from Nando’s,” one customer wrote on X (Twitter). “They came for hot chocolate and mocha at Morrison’s! Hot chocolate!”
Morrisons said all hot drinks, except hot chocolate and mocha, were still available for free refills.
This follows backlash against Nando’s, the chicken restaurant known for its bottomless sodas, which announced its customers would be limited to one glass of full-sugar Coca-Cola due to new regulations.
Pictures posted on social media showed a sticker on drinks machines at the fast food restaurant that read: “Would you like Coca-Cola Classic? One glass only. Due to new government laws, we’ve had to limit Coca-Cola Classic to one glass per customer. Still thirsty? Help yourself to one of our low-sugar fizzy bottomless soft drinks.”
In a post on its website, the chicken restaurant wrote: “From 1 October 2025, the UK government’s new high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) legislation comes into force, which all restaurants in England must comply with.
“As a result, we can no longer offer bottomless Coca-Cola Classic due to its high sugar content. Customers are allowed to drink a glass of Coca-Cola Classic but can still have any of our other low-sugar bottomless drinks.
“We know this is a change in the way our customers enjoy one of our popular soft drinks, and we hope it won’t negatively impact your experience. None of our other low-sugar carbonated bottomless drinks have been affected.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson previously said of the policy: “Obesity is depriving children of the best possible start in life, leaving them with a lifetime of health problems and causing billions of dollars in damage to the NHS.
“Ending promotions such as buy one, get one free on unhealthy foods was first proposed by the previous government in 2020 and came into force this week.”
They said evidence shows food retail price promotions are common and effective in influencing food choices and purchases, especially for children.
They added that volume price promotional restrictions are expected to deliver health benefits of £2 billion and NHS savings of £180 million over 25 years, while on-site promotional restrictions are expected to deliver health benefits of £57 billion and NHS savings of £4 billion over the same period.
