Activist Warns of Loopholes in Junk Food Advertising Ban That Allows McDonald’s to Still Reach Children
Today, as the UK government celebrates a “world-leading” victory in implementing a junk food advertising ban, 20-year-old activist Dev Sharma warns that the victory has been compromised by corporate lobbying. Sharma, who launched the campaign for these restrictions at the age of 14, spent six years fighting for the ban and securing its inclusion in the Queen’s Speech at 16. However, he says that the law has been gutted by loopholes that allow companies like McDonald’s to continue targeting children with their ads.
Sharma explains, “This ban has more loopholes than a box of Cheerios. McDonald’s can still broadcast ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ into the bedrooms of kids watching YouTube after school. They just can’t show a burger. The manipulation hasn’t stopped. It’s got smarter.”
The new law, which bans ads showing products high in fat, salt, and sugar before 9pm on TV and online at all times, includes a “brand exemption” that was inserted after intense lobbying from the food industry. This means that companies can still use logos, jingles, mascots, and emotional imagery to advertise their products to children.
“From the moment we’re born, junk food marketing has us surrounded,” says Sharma. “It’s forced down our throats. It’s the cultural wallpaper. This ban was supposed to rip that wallpaper down. Instead, we’ve peeled off one layer and left the rest.”
Sharma recalls experiencing the constant bombardment of junk food ads while studying for his GCSE exams. “I was 16, trying to watch a maths tutorial on YouTube,” he says. “I couldn’t learn a quadratic equation without being interrupted by a burger ad. My phone knew I was hungry before I did.”
Frustrated by the constant interruptions, Sharma launched an open letter to Boris Johnson, with every signature automatically emailed to Downing Street and the Health Secretary. The campaign gained thousands of signatures and the support of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. Sharma was also invited to meet with ministers, and the policy was eventually announced in the Queen’s Speech. However, six years on, he says that the same companies are still using the same tactics to target the same children.
“I was 14 when I started this. I’m now 20. This law consumed my entire teenage years. And I’m watching the food giants walk through the backdoor we spent six years trying to close,” says Sharma.
While the government celebrates the removal of 7.2 billion calories, Sharma points out that McDonald’s is already running brand campaigns that do exactly what product ads did. “The golden arches are more recognizable to British kids than the England flag. You don’t need to show a Big Mac to sell one,” he says.
Sharma is calling for an immediate government review of the brand exemption within six months, with all loopholes closed by 2027. “Children deserve protection that actually protects them. Not a ban with a backdoor.”
About Dev Sharma:
– Founding member of Bite Back 2030 with Jamie Oliver at age 14
– Led the campaign that secured the world’s first online junk food ad ban (Queen’s Speech, June 2021)
– Received the Diana Award from Prince Harry; named UK Parliament Volunteer of the Year by Sir Lindsay Hoyle
– Chaired the UK Government’s first Youth Select Committee inquiry (2024)
– Worked alongside Marcus Rashford on the free school meals campaign
– Currently studying Human, Social & Political Sciences at Cambridge University
About the ban:
– Announced in Queen’s Speech, June 2021
– Comes into force on January 5, 2026 after multiple delays
– Prohibits HFSS product advertising on TV before 9pm and online at all times
– Brand-only advertising (logos, slogans, no product shown) remains exempt
About the loophole:
– Brand exemption formalized via Statutory Instrument after food industry lobbying
– Allows advertising of logos, mascots, slogans, and brand imagery without showing products
– Health groups including Obesity Health Alliance and Action on Salt have criticized the exemption
Key statistics:
– UK children exposed to 15 billion junk food ads per year (Bite Back research)
– Government estimates ban will remove 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets annually
– 22% of children are overweight or obese starting primary school; 36% by the time they leave
For interviews, please contact:
Dev Sharma
Mobile: +44 7494 270711
Email: info@devsharma.co.uk
Broadcast ready. Available immediately.
