Children in the UK are exposed to 15 billion junk food ads online and 3.6 billion on TV every year.*

To make the point, UK mental fitness organisation, Bite Back’s, young activists have taken over some of the UK’s busiest shopping spaces with a powerful anti-junk food campaign, launched yesterday at Westfield White City, London.

Bite Back has invited shoppers and visitors at Westfield Stratford and White City over the next couple of weeks to share their thoughts and images about junk food advertising on social media. The movement has also called on the new government to expedite the implementation of critical advertising regulations, ensuring that children and young people are protected from the pervasive influence of junk food advertising.

The campaign coincides with a significant victory for Bite Back in a recent Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling, in which a complaint by a 15-year-old Bite Back activist against Just Eat was upheld. The ASA found that Just Eat, the giant online food delivery service, had failed to adequately protect children from exposure to junk food advertising on social media by feeding them a Facebook ad promoting McDonald’s products. The ruling underscores the need for stronger regulations to curb the online bombardment of junk food ads aimed at children.

James Toop, CEO of Bite Back, commented,“Teenagers’ social media feeds are often saturated with junk food adverts, creating a pervasive cultural influence online. With stricter regulations set for next year, food companies appear determined to maximise their reach to young people. Therefore, it’s crucial for the new government to enact this legislation as soon as possible and ensure these important rules are implemented without further delays.

“London’s Westfield White City is a massive draw for thousands of families, particularly during the summer holidays. Junk food giants are well aware of this and exploit it to target children with manipulative marketing tactics. This campaign is more direct, challenging people to reconsider the impact of junk food ads on their daily lives. We want to bridge that gap and demonstrate that everyone can support Bite Back’s mission to protect the next generation from the influence of big food companies.”

*(1) Department of Health & Social Care and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (2021) Introducing further advertising restrictions on TV and online for products high in fat, salt and sugar: government response https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/further-advertising-restrictions-for-products-high-in-fat-salt-and-sugar/outcome/introducing-further-advertising-restrictions-on-tv-and-online-for-products-high-in-fat-salt-and-sugar-government-response