Youth activists from Bite Back took over Westfield White City as part of an anti-junk food campaign which saw it acquire billboard space at the iconic retail venue.
The out-of-home message highlighted the powerful advertising used by fast food businesses, with a billboard that read: “Young activists bought this ad space so that junk food giants couldn’t”
The messaging coincides with a recent Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling which banned a Just Eat advert for breaking rules about advertising to under-16s.
The advert promoted McDonald’s products including McMuffin, Big Mac and McNuggets.
The ruling came after an initial complaint from a Bite Back activist. Rules about foods high in fat salt and sugar (HFSS) require advertisers to ensure they are taking measures not to target children under the age of 16.
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At the Westfield shopping centre, Bite Back activists invited shoppers to share their thoughts about junk food advertising in a vox pop, and also encouraged people to share across social media.
“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,” said Bite Back CEO James Toop.
He continued: “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.”
