Written by Paris Kazemian
If you’ve ever had a child point to a brightly coloured cereal box in the supermarket and say, “I saw this on YouTube!”, you’ve witnessed the powerful link between children’s diet and media.
In today’s digital age, marketing to children has moved far beyond TV commercials. From Instagram influencers to advergames, the food industry has created a constant stream of messages encouraging kids to choose high-sugar, high-salt, and ultra-processed foods.
Research published in BMJ Global Health shows that unhealthy food marketing in Australia is shaping children’s eating habits in ways that threaten their long-term health — and the current protections simply aren’t strong enough.
🎬 See our YouTube breakdown of this topic:
The New Media Diet: Marketing That’s Everywhere
A child’s “media diet” now plays a huge role in shaping their actual diet. The problem? This media diet is saturated with ads for junk food.
From YouTube to TikTok: Ads Kids Can’t Avoid
Food marketing is no longer limited to the ad breaks on TV. Today’s children are targeted through:
- Influencer marketing — Popular YouTubers and TikTok creators promote snacks subtly within their videos.
- Gamified advertising — Online games reward players with branded fast-food items.
- Product placement — Branded drinks and snacks appear in TV shows, movies, and livestreams.
- Social media filters — Fast food chains create playful AR filters for Instagram and Snapchat.
Packaging and Promotions That Hook Young Consumers
The influence doesn’t stop when the screen turns off. Food packaging aimed at kids often features:
- Cartoon mascots
- Bright colours
- Movie tie-ins
- Collectible toys
These tactics are designed to create positive emotional connections between children and unhealthy food brands.
Why It Matters for Children’s Health
Studies show a clear link between food marketing to children and unhealthy eating patterns.
Increased Preference for Junk Foods
Kids exposed to junk food ads are more likely to request, choose, and consume these products — often at the expense of healthier options.
Skewed Perceptions of Taste
Marketing can make children believe certain snacks taste better, even when blind taste tests prove otherwise.
Long-Term Brand Loyalty
Food companies know that winning over a child often means winning a customer for decades.
In Australia, poor diet is one of the leading causes of chronic illness. The foods most heavily marketed to kids are also those linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
The Regulation Gap in Australia
Why Voluntary Codes Fail
Australia currently relies on self-regulation by the food and advertising industries. These voluntary codes:
- Often exclude digital platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
- Allow junk food sponsorship of children’s sports events.
- Only apply when a high percentage of the audience is under 14 — leaving “family” programming full of junk food ads.
The result? Unhealthy food marketing in Australia remains widespread.
South Australia’s Public Transport Ban
From July 2025, South Australia will ban junk food advertising on public transport. This is a step in the right direction, but experts say we need national action covering all media platforms — TV, streaming, online, and outdoor advertising near schools.
The Power of “Pester Power”
One of the most immediate effects of junk food marketing is pester power — when kids repeatedly ask parents for a product they’ve seen advertised.
Marketers know this works. By targeting children, they indirectly target parents’ spending habits. At the supermarket checkout, that colourful snack pack isn’t just appealing to kids — it’s been designed to create a negotiation moment between child and parent.
What Parents and Communities Can Do Right Now
While we wait for stronger regulations, there are practical steps families and communities can take to protect children from unhealthy food marketing:
Boosting Media Literacy at Home
Teach kids how ads work. Discuss how brands use colour, music, and characters to make products look more appealing.
Choosing Ad-Free Platforms
Where possible, use streaming services or apps with no ads, or upgrade to ad-free versions.
Watching Together and Talking About Ads
If an ad appears, pause and ask your child, “What do you think they want you to feel or do?”
Modelling Healthy Choices
Children copy what they see. If parents enjoy and choose healthy foods, kids are more likely to do the same.
Supporting School and Community Policies
Support initiatives that promote healthy food environments — from banning junk food sponsorship in school sports to offering nutritious snacks at community events.
Why Policy Change Matters
Individual actions are important but can only go so far in a marketing-saturated environment. Experts recommend:
- Comprehensive bans on junk food marketing to children.
- Restrictions on sports sponsorships by unhealthy food brands.
- Stronger packaging regulations for products targeting kids.
- Clearer nutritional labelling to help parents make quick, informed choices.
Countries like Chile and the UK have already introduced stricter measures and seen reductions in children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing.
The Bottom Line
Food marketing to children in Australia has evolved into an all-encompassing, highly targeted system that influences what kids want, what they eat, and how they think about food.
By building media literacy for kids, modelling healthy habits at home, and pushing for stronger national regulations, we can help raise a generation that sees through the spin and chooses real food.
The sooner we act, the healthier our children’s future will be.