When imagining the prospect of a nation without chocolate, many Britons would break the law or leave home altogether rather than go without their fix. Despite the power it has over their lives, celebratory media narratives of sweet things have unwittingly lessened the stigma around sugar's addictiveness.

London may make up a small part of the UK geographically, but brands are often accused of focusing their marketing on the capital. Walkers has launched a campaign to prove it understands the tastes of thewholenation based on regional idiosyncracies, bursting the London bubble in the process.

With political and public pressure mounting on the food industry to address concerns over obesity and sugar consumption, snack brand McVitie’s has introduced Digestives Thins – a slimmed-down version of its classic chocolate biscuit, created with today’s health-conscious consumer in mind.

With obesity at the forefront of many consumers’ minds, they are looking for healthier snacking options. In response, snack and beverage brands are implementing new strategies, including reducing portion sizes, ‘premiumising’ their products and using clearer labelling.