23 Mar 2021 Food Active response to new UEFA sponsorship deal with JustEat Takeaway.com
One of the world’s largest online food delivery companies has signed a multi-competition deal with UEFA to partner a broad range of men’s, women’s, youth and futsal competitions. Food Active responds…
Nicola Calder, Food Active Programme Lead said:
The latest UEFA / JustEat sponsorship deal UEFA Champions League & UEFA Women’s EURO provides further evidence as to why Food Active is becoming increasingly concerned with commercial organisations that use and exploit sport as a platform to promote food and drink products high in fat, sugar and/or salt (HFSS).
By partnering with sports organisations, HFSS brands are attempting to associate their unhealthy products with a healthy and active lifestyle, thereby avoiding public and media scrutiny over their contribution to rising levels of overweight and obesity.
Although the UK Government are taking action HFSS marketing to children and young people, including a 9pm watershed on TV and similar restrictions online, sponsorship of sport has flown largely under the radar. If we are to face any chance to reaching the target of halving childhood obesity by 2030, we need marketing restrictions that tackle the whole marketing mix – and this includes sports sponsorship.”
Read our blog last summer which examined the junk food promotions in supermarkets associated with sporting events.
