HomeSocial Media MarketingYoung people face ‘widespread exposure’ to junk food marketing online

Young people face ‘widespread exposure’ to junk food marketing online

Greater than half (52%) of younger individuals have been uncovered to junk meals promotions on social media previously month, in accordance with new analysis from Most cancers Analysis UK.

The ‘Digital Affect’ examine discovered posts selling excessive fats, salt and sugar (HFSS) merchandise got here from each companies and influencers. Almost 4 in 10 younger individuals who noticed the content material engaged with it by liking, commenting or sharing, with influencer-led posts proving extra influential than business-led adverts.

Most cancers Analysis UK surveyed greater than 4,000 11-to-21-year-olds. Alongside the survey, 43 younger individuals took half in focus teams, whereas 46 used interactive instruments to file and replicate on their social media use.

Members reported seeing HFSS content material in all kinds of codecs, together with posts from eating places, influencer-led restaurant critiques, cooking movies that includes HFSS substances, ‘mukbangs’ (stay streams of individuals consuming giant quantities of meals) and viral consuming challenges.

The younger individuals who took half within the qualitative analysis mentioned HFSS merchandise appeared steadily of their on-line worlds. This was passively through algorithm-driven feeds and actively, by means of content material from creators they observe – typically these specialising in meals content material.

One 15-year-old participant reported that “not less than each two minutes” they’re on Instagram they see at “least one food-related put up”.

Most cancers Analysis UK warns weight problems is the second largest explanation for most cancers within the UK after smoking, with charges of weight problems rising in younger individuals. Earlier research discovered merely viewing photographs of HFSS meals can set off cravings which can be troublesome to withstand.

New restrictions

The findings come forward of latest restrictions on how ‘much less wholesome’ food and drinks (LHF) merchandise may be marketed.

From 1 October 2025, advertisers have agreed to adjust to restrictions banning LHF promotions on-line and on TV earlier than the 9pm watershed.

Underneath the principles, influencers can’t title or present merchandise, of their packaging or out, if recognisable. Natural influencer posts will stay allowed, however can’t be boosted with paid spend. Manufacturers can nonetheless put up on their very own channels, however can’t promote the content material by means of paid media, supplied they adhere to current HFSS guidelines.

In January 2026, the Promoting Requirements Authority (ASA) may have full authorized enforcement powers and separate steering will apply. Authorities modelling suggests this might stop greater than 20,000 circumstances of childhood weight problems.

The analysis highlights how closely younger individuals are uncovered to industrial content material on-line. Presently, 63% of eight-to-11-year-olds have not less than one social media profile, rising to 92% of 12-to-15-year-olds and 95% of 16-to-17-year-olds. At the very least 11% of 11-to-17-year-olds admit to setting their age to 18+ to bypass restrictions.

What’s extra, 21% of adolescents say they spend 5 hours or extra a day on social media, offering many alternatives for publicity to influential content material.

A meta-analysis learning promoting and younger individuals’s crucial reasoning talents exhibits kids and younger individuals wrestle to establish and critically consider promoting, particularly in digital codecs. Even after they recognise adverts, they don’t seem to be essentially shielded from their affect.

In consequence, many younger individuals underestimate how typically they’re marketed to, and the way it shapes their behaviour and habits. Members in Most cancers Analysis’s examine typically framed consuming HFSS meals as a matter of non-public selection fairly than the results of advertising and marketing.

Most believed their on-line actions (77%) and profile knowledge (62%) influenced the adverts they noticed, whereas solely 17% thought offline exercise performed a job and seven% assumed advertisements had been proven at random.

“Deliberate restrictions on junk meals promoting on-line are a significant step to guard younger individuals’s well being,” says Most cancers Analysis UK prevention coverage supervisor Liv Cheek.

“Nevertheless, these measures should be correctly enforced and strengthened by closing any remaining gaps within the on-line advertising and marketing guidelines. We urge the UK authorities and regulators to take daring motion to defend younger individuals from dangerous advertising and marketing that would enhance their danger of weight problems and most cancers sooner or later.”

The examine additionally discovered excessive ranges of publicity to different age-restricted merchandise. One in 5 younger social media customers mentioned that they had seen posts regarding cigarettes from companies previously month, whereas one in 4 reported seeing related content material from influencers.

Nearly a 3rd of respondents reported seeing vape-related posts from companies, rising to just about 4 in 10 when it got here to influencers. Publicity was significantly excessive amongst those that had beforehand vaped.

Whereas a minority of members felt this sort of content material might subtly enhance the enchantment of vaping, the bulk expressed detrimental views and believed vapes to be extra dangerous than typically portrayed.

Alcohol content material was additionally widespread. Greater than a 3rd of younger individuals reported seeing posts from companies previously month, whereas virtually two in 5 mentioned that they had encountered influencer-led alcohol content material.

Most cancers Analysis UK is asking on the federal government, regulators and enforcement our bodies to speak current and new steering/laws, “strengthen and implement” promoting legal guidelines and monitor on-line platforms “extra successfully”. The charity additionally desires to make sure enforcement companies are receiving enough funding, resulting in more healthy digital environments being created for younger individuals.

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