Recent polling shows strong public backing for tougher action to end junk food advertising aimed at children, with clear support for extending restrictions beyond TV and online. The polling finds that two in three adults think it is unacceptable to target children with junk food adverts; while more than half believe outdoor advertising should be included in the regulations. The findings are published as the government brings into force new UK-wide restrictions on junk food advertising on TV before 9pm and online, starting today (5 January 2026.)
The survey findings from youth-led charity Bite Back, in partnership with More in Common*, show that 67 per cent of adults believe it is unacceptable for food companies to target children with junk food adverts, while 55 per cent think outdoor advertising – including billboards, bus stops and digital screens near schools – should be covered by the new rules. For children, outdoor advertising provides the second largest source of exposure to food advertising (30%) after TV / Digital advertising, and accounts for the largest source of HFSS food advertising (40%)
Bite Back is a youth-led movement campaigning for changes to the way unhealthy foods are made, marketed and sold, especially to children. The charity’s survey also finds that Britons overwhelmingly (83 per cent) believe the government should prioritise the needs and voices of children over the views of food companies when it comes to improving children’s access to healthy food, raising concerns about the extent to which industry influence has diluted the original ambition of the policy.
Farid, 18, a Bite Back campaigner from Manchester, said: “The findings of this report are massively encouraging. It’s all confirmation of what we see daily: children today are growing up in less healthy environments than previous generations when it comes to what influences what they eat. We welcome the January 5 restrictions and recognise them as an important step forward. The polling shows the public agrees action is needed and expects it to go further – this is about building on progress, not undermining it.
“The reality however is that junk food ads will still dominate streets, transport routes and public spaces. Outdoor advertising is a major source of exposure for children, and the public – including our parents – clearly supports closing this gap. The protections are a step in the right direction, but they are not strong enough.”
Bite Back’s latest research shows that deprived communities are more heavily targeted with junk food advertising in outdoor spaces than wealthier areas, raising concerns that leaving these environments unregulated could deepen existing health inequalities.
Additionally, Bite Back’s new survey found that Britons are far more likely to think the government is not doing enough to protect children’s health than they are to believe it is doing the right amount.
Phil, a Manchester-based parent who took part in a More In Common focus group discussion said: “Advertising junk food to children should be restricted. There are supposed to be protections, but it’s not just TV anymore – it’s everywhere. Children and teenagers are constantly exposed through social media, often in ways parents aren’t even aware of. That’s why the rules need to reflect how kids actually live today.”
While 49 per cent say the government is not doing enough, only 33 per cent believe current action is sufficient. This view is strongest among Green and Reform voters, with more than a third of Labour voters also agreeing that current action does not go far enough.
D’Arcy Williams, Chief Executive of Bite Back, said: “Today is a big day for food policy and, most importantly, for children’s health. The long-delayed and now diluted restrictions on junk food advertising are finally coming into force. But young people and the public are urging the government to go further. We need to see the loopholes closed and the regulations extended to outdoor spaces.”
*More in Common polling for Biteback saw 2108 GB British Adults surveyed, across 13 – 16 December 2025.
