An investigation published by The BMJ today reveals widespread influence of food and drink brands in schools and nurseries – through breakfast clubs, nutrition guidance, and healthy eating campaigns - while rates of obesity in the UK have worsened.
Experts say the tactics are "subtle but very problematic" and require much greater scrutiny and pushback.
Organisations influencing food provision and education in schools include Kellogg's, Greggs, Nestle, and the British Nutrition Foundation, a "policy development" charity whose funders include Coca Cola, PepsiCo, Mars, Nestle, and McDonald's, reports journalist Emma Wilkinson.
For example, Kellogg's has donated £5.7 million to UK schools through a partnership with the Magic Breakfast charity, while the Greggs Foundation – a charitable arm part funded by the high street bakery chain – says it now has 898 breakfast clubs supporting more than 62,000 children a day, with a target to reach 1,000 clubs.
Lindsey MacDonald, CEO of Magic Breakfast, told The BMJ that food supplied as part of their breakfast provision "meets government school food standards" while Nathan Atkinson, director of Rethink Food, an education programme supported by the Greggs Foundation to teach children the importance of physical activity, healthy diets, and sustainability, says the Greggs Foundation "funds the programme and does not influence any of the content."
The full extent to which schools make use of these resources in the UK is unclear, but Rob Percival, head of food policy at the Soil Association, argues that "an organisation sponsored by McDonald's, Mars and Nestle shouldn't be within 100 miles of children's food education."
"They're positioning themselves as part of the solution by getting behind and sponsoring this food education programme," he adds.
This is also one of the strong concerns held by May van Schalkwyk at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who describes the issue as "subtle but very problematic" and is calling for far greater scrutiny.
She also points out that at the same time as doing this corporate social responsibility work, the food industry also employs tactics including pushing back against plans to restrict unhealthy food advertising across Transport for London.
Jennie Cockroft, director of Purely Nutrition that runs the PhunkyFoods programme, which provides nutritional and healthy living guidance in schools and is part-funded by Nestle, says public health funding for school health across the UK is woefully inadequate and has been for years. "If the food industry is part of the problem, then surely, they should be contributing to the solution – providing that this is done in the right way."
Greg Fell, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, says: "There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that by being involved in school programmes, harmful products are normalised. The evidence about the risks of harm is also often distorted and instead, blame is shifted to individual choice and personal responsibility."
The government has announced plans to introduce free breakfast clubs in every primary school. A spokesperson said: "We encourage all schools to promote healthy eating and provide nutritious food and drink, and all maintained schools and academies must comply with the School Food Standards.
"Separately, we will fix the NHS and create the healthiest generation of children in our history by shifting our focus from treatment to prevention, starting by banning junk food ads aimed at children."
Kelloggs said it believed there was still a role for it in supporting breakfast clubs, including through secondary schools and as complimentary grants for primary schools who need more. Greggs also said it would continue to support schools and their pupils where need is greatest.
