Sophie’s campaign to stop junk food marketing to kids heats up

Meeting with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to discuss my Healthy Kids Private Members Bill was a real highlight for me in my campaign to stop our kids being preyed upon and bombarded with advertisements for fatty, salty and sugary foods. His work as a healthy food advocate, especially food marketed to children has inspired me.

Most people know Jamie as the TV chef with the endearing Essex accent. I was lucky enough to meet him in November, just before his appearance at the Opera House, where he entertained audiences with a rollicking account of his journey to global foodie and advocate for home-cooked healthy food. 

For decades, Jamie has championed the cause of improving children’s food habits and protecting them from harmful junk food advertising for decades in the UK. His AdEnough campaign had a simple message: we must make it easier for children to make better, healthier food choices.

In 2018 he ran a grassroots action, where parents and children were asked to post a picture of themselves covering their eyes. Jamie reckons that’s the only way that kids can avoid being bombarded with advertising for all sorts of products that damage their health, from burgers to fried food to sugary drinks. 

It was hugely successful. He’s managed to convince London Transport to stop displaying ads for unhealthy food on all London Transport. The UK government has also agreed to stop the advertising of foods high in fat, sugar and salt until after 9pm and a ban on “buy one get one free” deals on junk food.  

It’s now time that kids in Australia receive the same protection. Our children are constantly targeted by advertisements for unhealthy, cheap, and easily accessible junk food. Jamie and his team conducted research to show that digital billboards in London literally changed once kids were in school from unhealthy food to other products.

He says that makers of junk food literally “hunt children” by targeting them at school bus-stops, online and on TV. 

As a former GP and a mother of three teens, I am deeply concerned about the rising rate of childhood obesity in Australia. One quarter of all children and two-thirds of adults are above the healthy weight range. Obesity and diabetes have become societal problems requiring a societal response. That’s why I moved my bill in June.

It calls for a ban on television and radio advertising of unhealthy foods between 6am and 9.30pm including subscription and streaming services. I am now exploring with technology experts how to implement a total ban online so that children are not targeted when they are using social media. It is possible. It just takes will by the government.

Health minister Mark Butler has now commissioned a study by the University of Wollongong on the feasibility of banning such advertising. I am hopeful he and the government share my concerns about this important health issue.

I will continue to push the Government on this issue and advocate for the restriction on junk food companies targeting children both on television and online. If 40 other countries around the world can do it, including the UK, Mexico, Chile and Norway, then so can Australia.