Children’s exposure to high fat, sugar and salt food and drink advertising and response to brand advertising: baseline assessment and qualitative exploration

Summary

This NIHR-funded study provides a baseline assessment of the extent to which children in the UK are exposed to HFSS food and drink advertising, alongside a qualitative exploration of how children engage with and respond to brand-level marketing. The research is likely to inform evaluation of UK regulatory interventions, including restrictions on HFSS advertising introduced under the Health and Care Act 2022. Findings are intended to support policymakers and public health stakeholders in understanding pre-intervention exposure levels and children's cognitive and emotional responses to such advertising.

UK applicability

This study is conducted within a UK context and is directly applicable to UK public health policy, particularly in evaluating the effectiveness of HFSS advertising restrictions and informing further regulatory action by bodies such as Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority.

Key measures

Advertising exposure frequency and volume; brand recognition and response; qualitative themes from child participants regarding advertising perception and influence

Outcomes reported

The study assessed baseline levels of children's exposure to high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) food and drink advertising across media channels, and qualitatively explored how children perceive and respond to brand advertising for such products.

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