People

Having dedicated her career to campaigning for social causes – from reproductive health to a clean energy transition – Beth has worked with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WaterAid, UNHCR and the Jamie Oliver Group to mobilise the public and influence policymakers. "Our broken food system makes life harder for children and families who are already struggling," she says. "Evidence shows that junk food advertising is targeted more heavily at people in lower socioeconomic groups and healthy options are harder to come by in low-income areas. It's outrageous and unjust."

With a passion for physical health, especially football and running, James joined Bite Back to help young people build a healthier, more fulfilling relationship with the food system. "It should be an even playing field. Each city's children should not have disproportionate access to nutritious food," says the Liverpool-based activist. "Starting university, it feels like I have more contact hours with junk food companies than I do my lecturers. From freshers' fair freebies to leaflets piled at my door, I still feel the cycle of constant manipulation."

A food blogger and passionate chef, Amy joined the Bite Back movement because she believes it should be easier for young people to eat healthily. "Healthy options should be put in the spotlight: they should be the first thing you see in a supermarket, and at the tills," says the London-based campaigner. "Less healthy options should be out of our direct eye-line." Amy also believes that marketing for foods high in fat, sugar and salt should end on large platforms.

With a passion for politics, human rights and journalism, Gavriella has been campaigning and volunteering for years. Through participating in food drives for homeless shelters and food banks in the local community, this North London-based activist has learnt first-hand about the barriers surrounding access to healthy food. Gavriella has met with the Education Secretary as part of our drive to improve school food, and appeared on Sky News to discuss the issues involved with a wider audience.

Despite living in a relatively rural place, Rebecca highlights the unstoppable tide of fast food in the area: one particular global chain has three outlets within a mile radius, one of which is a five-minute walk from school. "I absolutely believe this was done on purpose, and it's extremely detrimental to child health," says the young campaigner, based just outside of Sheffield. "I hate the fact that schools are flooded with takeaways. But we're all oblivious to it."

Part of the Bite Back movement since the very start, Dev was recently elected Youth MP for West Hampshire, and is also an ambassador for the Food Foundation. The Leicester-based young activist has been recognised by the UK Parliament as Volunteer of the Year for leading our successful campaign to end junk food advertising online – as announced in the Queen's Speech. Dev received the prestigious Diana Award in 2020 for his tireless efforts to end food poverty.

Triple jumper, vinyl collector and former competitive street dancer Reuben aspires to go into politics, or perhaps start a charity to tackle poverty and knife crime. "We're conditioned to think of junk food as our first option," says the activist from Yorkshire and the Humber. "Young people deserve diverse food options." Reuben's local high street is flooded with fast food: "In the cost of living crisis it's the only affordable place to go. It's demoralising. These companies could serve unprocessed or healthier food, but they won't because of their greed."

The lack of fundamental ethics amongst big food corporations angers Anna: "They constantly target young people, valuing profit over child health," says the young campaigner based in Yorkshire and the Humber. "Junk food giants have the largest influence in impressionable spaces that allow people to be targeted – like Council-owned spaces, or sports sponsorship," adds Anna. "I'd like to see a change to these harsh marketing strategies: a world where junk food isn't the only option."

"Our food system is so deeply flawed, it seems irreparable," says Amy, a young activist in South East England. "We're manipulated to believe it's fine. That it's normal to be inundated with junk food ads on our way to school; for corporate giants to deceive us with marketing tricks, prioritising wealth over health. We're groomed to view food through this toxic system's eyes, not our own. We must shift our mindset: this is about major corporations providing us with better options."

Macey dreams of a world in which children from all socioeconomic backgrounds can access healthy, nutritious food, and is frustrated on a daily basis by the constant bombardment of junk food ads. "They should definitely stop advertising junk in Council-owned spaces, like vending machines at the gym," says the young activist, based in North West England. "And it's completely ludicrous and irresponsible of junk food corporations to manipulate children by directly targeting their products at them."

Young people may feel the need to eat at widely known, well-advertised places. "And when 8 out of 10 of those options are fast food, it makes us believe there are no alternatives," says Estel, who argues that we need to give healthier options a bigger share of the spotlight. "Especially in places where young people spend most of their time, like parks and leisure centres," adds the London-based activist. "It'd be a dream come true to see alternatives to the usual crisps and ice cream."

Frustrated by the sheer scale at which we're being lied to in our current food system, Srilakshmi argues that food giants must be more honest about what goes into their products. "From children's yoghurts to food at airports, there are advertising tricks and blatant lies everywhere you turn," says the East Midlands-based campaigner. Srilakshmi believes we need legislation to force big corporations to be more transparent: "And they should be held publicly accountable if they're found to be lying."