Why one campaigning group is ‘building a movement’ against junk food ads
Backed by chef Jamie Oliver, Bite Back 2030 is on a 10-year mission to halve childhood obesity by encouraging marketers to use their influence to promote healthy lifestyles.
Is a 9pm watershed for junk food ads appropriate? Should we have plain packaging for unhealthy foods? These are just some of the debates circulating about the marketing of foods high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS).
James Toop, chief executive of Bite Back 2030, believes there is one key voice missing.
“Up until now, the debate has pitched the government against food companies and has largely been led by adults,” he explains. “The voice we felt was really missing was the voice of young people.”
Bite Back 2030 has been set up to build an “unstoppable movement” of young people with the aim of halving childhood obesity by 2030. It was founded by chef Jamie Oliver, who has been vocal in his criticism of the way junk food is advertised, as well as philanthropist Nicolai Tangen.
It has a youth board, a group of teenage activists campaigning on healthy eating. The aim is to get business and government to act to improve access to healthy food.
