Campaigners are calling on the government to close a policy “loophole” and extend junk food advertising restrictions to the streets, saying the current limitations do not go far enough to protect children.
Strict limits on the promotion of food and drink products high in fat, salt, or sugar (HFSS) currently apply to TV aired before 9pm and paid online advertising, but do not extend to out-of-home spaces including bus shelters, billboards and digital screens.
British Berry Growers are urging the government to put similar restrictions in place for OOH adverts containing HFSS foods, including preventing them from appearing within 400m of school gates.
It comes as new research finds nine in ten (91%) parents saying their child is exposed to junk food adverts during the school run, with three-quarters (74%) of parents support extending HFSS restrictions.
British Berry Growers, who commissioned the research, say “the case for closing the loophole is compelling”, adding that out-of-home is “the last unregulated frontier for junk food advertising”.
To mark the launch of its ‘Fresh Outlook on Food’ campaign, British Berry Growers installed parody adverts inspired by fast-food giants.
Displayed in the same outdoor spaces typically used to promote HFSS products, the adverts replace burgers, fries and fried chicken with fresh British berries including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.
The campaign is backed by TV presenter Kate Quilton, and Dev Sharma, former youth MP and founding youth board member of activist movement BiteBack, which campaigns for healthier school food and fairer advertising.
Broadcaster Kate Quilton, who is best known for presenting Channel 4 television series Food Unwrapped, said: “As a mum, I know how difficult it can be to encourage healthy habits when children are constantly being exposed to adverts for fast food and sugary products.
“Parents are trying their best, but we’re competing with powerful marketing messages everywhere our children go. If we believe these adverts shouldn’t be shown to children online or before 9pm on television, it makes little sense that they’re still allowed to dominate our high streets.”
The campaign comes against a backdrop of growing concern around childhood obesity. Almost one in four children (24%) are now overweight or obese by the time they start primary school, according to the Department of Health and Social Care2.
New research from British Berry Growers shows three in five parents say they are concerned about their child’s exposure to junk food advertising, with 60% saying the ads actively undermine the healthy eating habits they try to instil at home.
Nine in ten (87%) parents say their child asks for junk food after seeing it featured in adverts, with around half of those saying that pestering happens multiple times a week.
The evidence around the negative impact of inescapable junk food advertising is mounting. A recent report from Bite Back found one third (35%) of schools have at least one HFSS advert within 400m of their gates. McDonald’s was the most frequent advertiser, representing 31% of all food and drink adverts observed in their research, with 97% featuring at least one HFSS product1.
Bite Back’s ‘Fuel Us Don’t Fool Us: Advertising report’ exposed how fast food giants are deliberately targeting more deprived areas. On average, the rate of McDonald’s adverts was nine times greater in the most deprived areas, compared to their more affluent counterparts.
According to the new research from British Berry Growers, 63% of parents are appalled to learn that fast food giants are advertising around schools, with two-thirds saying it should be banned near educational facilities in particular.
Former Youth MP Dev Sharma, who is also a founding member of Bite Back’s youth board, said: “When the Government’s new restrictions on junk food advertising came into force earlier this year it was rightly celebrated as a landmark moment for children’s health.
“But they don’t go far enough. The rules for TV screens should now apply to the streets. At the very least local and combined authorities should use their existing powers – the same powers Transport for London used to introduce HFSS advertising restrictions across its estate in 2019 – to act now on the assets they own and control.”
Nick Marston, Chair of British Berry Growers, the trade body representing 95% of soft fruit growers in the UK, said: “The rules have changed online and on television, but the moment children step outside, the old rules still apply. We’ve made real progress in restricting junk food advertising, but there’s still an obvious loophole that needs closing.
“We’re calling for a fresh outlook on food advertising. Children are surrounded by marketing for fast food and HFSS products, while healthy foods such as berries are almost invisible in the outdoor advertising landscape.
“Foods like berries are packed with fibre, vitamins and antioxidants and can play an important role in a healthy, balanced diet. Children deserve to see more of those positive food choices promoted in the places they live, learn and travel through every day.
“If the Government believes children should be protected from HFSS advertising on screens, the same principle should apply on our streets.”
Find out more about the ‘Fresh Outlook on Food’ campaign at britishberrygrowers.org.uk/AFreshOutlookOnFood.
