Three-quarters of parents in England admit to caving in to their children's demands for junk food during the weekly shop, according to new research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul.
The study, led by Professor Emma Boyland from the University of Liverpool, surveyed 1,050 parents and found that 58% are frequently pestered by their children to buy products high in fat, salt, or sugar. As a result, 72% of parents often purchase the requested item.
Younger children aged four to 11 were the most persistent, with ice creams, sweets, chocolates, and biscuits topping the list of demands. The research also revealed that 59% of parents are influenced by price promotions, and 52% blame shopping with children for unplanned purchases.
Co-author Dr Magdalena Muc from the Open University noted that parents experiencing food insecurity are pestered more frequently, causing distress. The findings come amid government efforts to tackle childhood obesity, including a ban on supermarket multi-buy promotions for unhealthy foods in England from October 2025 and restrictions on junk food advertising before 9pm on TV and online from January 2025.
