A new report by the youth activist charity Bite Back reveals the number of outlets that the top 10 out-of-home food chains have in England, Scotland and Wales increased by 59% in the decade from 2014 to 2024.

Unit researcher Dr Jody Hoenink led the analysis in the report, which examined the change in the number of outlets that Bite Back Youth Board members had selected as the top 10 in terms of popularity and relevance to their lives, which were Burger King, Costa Coffee, Domino’s, Greggs, KFC, McDonalds, Nando’s, Pret a Manger, Starbucks and Subway.

Dr Hoenink’s research also found that nearly 1,000 more schools now have at least one of these big food chains within 400 metres compared to 2014, affecting 14.2% of all schools in Great Britain, and that five out of the ten businesses – Subway, Greggs, McDonald’s, KFC and Pret – have a higher density of outlets in the most deprived quintile compared to least deprived.

Dr Jody Hoenink commented:

The evidence in this report suggests a concentrated presence of big food chain outlets near schools and in deprived areas, contributing to an environment that may encourage unhealthy dietary choices among young people. The growth data speaks for itself, and immediate regulatory action is necessary to counter Big Food’s influence.

More information

• Read news article on the Bite Back website
• Read the report “Big Food & Our Communities: Where are food chains expanding?”

Image credit: Bite Back www.biteback2030.com/