An open letter to Australia’s Health Minister: Get Junk Food Brands Off Our Kids

Dear Minister,

We all want our children to grow up in a community that promotes wellbeing, supports good nutrition and sets them up for a healthy future.

But instead, the processed food industry is allowed to bombard Aussie kids with unhealthy food marketing everywhere they go. Kids see these ads in their social media feeds, while they play games online and use apps – all while their data is collected for targeted marketing. They can’t escape these unhealthy ads when they play or watch sport, when they travel to school or when they watch their favourite television shows. It acts as the wallpaper in their lives.

Right now, the processed food industry has a green light to build awareness of their brands , shaping what our children want, prefer and eat and putting their future health at risk. This has to change. Children are our future – we need government to step in and put their health first above corporate profits.

We are coming together to ask you to protect children from unhealthy food marketing in all areas of their lives by using regulation to:

• Make online environments free from unhealthy food marketing;
• Ensure TV, radio and similar media are free from unhealthy food marketing at all times of the day and night when children are watching and listening;
• Make public spaces, public events and retail environments free from unhealthy food marketing; and
• Prevent companies marketing unhealthy food directly to children with tactics like cartoons on product packaging, toys and prizes.

We’re not alone in supporting change. Two out of three Australians support government action to protect children from unhealthy food marketing.

 Countries around the world, including the UK, are also taking action. Let’s make Australia next so we can give our kids a healthier future. Together, we can make a difference.