About the Kids' food campaignWhat's the campaign about?

Advertising to children

Our research shows that current TV regulations are not working

Junk food makers are actively targeting kids as consumers and often in ways parents aren't aware of. In recent years the Government has taken action to control the ways that foods high in sugar, salt and fat are advertised to kids on TV, but Which? research shows that fast food manufacturers still have the under-16 market squarely in their sights.

Television advertising is only part of the problem. Marketers work hard to make junk foods seem like an ordinary part of our kids’ lives, promoting them widely, including on TV, in magazines, on billboards and on the internet.

The Supermarket gauntlet

Even junk food packaging is designed to appeal to kids. The next time you're grocery shopping, look at the way that fatty, salty foods and sugary drinks are packaged to be bright, colourful and cool, often using cartoon characters for extra appeal 

Health crisis

Are our eating habits leading to a health crisis?

One in three children in England are either overweight or obese, and things look set to get worse. The Government’s 2007 Foresight Report predicted that, by 2050, 70% of girls and 55% of boys will be obese or overweight, and the associated health problems will cost £45.5bn a year.

The incidence of Type 2 diabetes will have increased by 70%, strokes by 30% and coronary heart disease by 20%.

So why is there still such a difference between the recommended diet for children and the one that is advertised, which is dominated by foods high in fat, salt and sugar?