People

While working at Scope, the equality charity for disabled people, Carlotta developed an interest in accessible design – and she brings extensive experience from her Masters in Ethnographic and Documentary Filmmaking to Bite Back's visual content. "I cannot wait for a day where I can leave my house and not feel constant pressure from junk food giants to eat their food," she says. "If we replaced junk food ads with beautiful art, wouldn't our streets look a lot better?"

With an MSc in International Development, Sara has worked in INGOs – focusing on child protection and development. She supports our team to keep everything running smoothly. "Food giants trick us into believing their products are good for you," she says. "Supermarkets are flooded with junk, strategically placed to attract your attention. Markets are more my thing – but I still need to go to the supermarket, and it's always a struggle to feel at ease there."

Sam has campaigned to end factory farming, invest in social housing, and tackle climate change with a nature-based approach. He played a key part in CPRE's successful campaign to end fracking in the UK. Sam's amazing dog Rummi, meanwhile, likes eating, running and sleeping. "When low price is the goal, everything else becomes less important," says Sam. "Cheap, unhealthy food is produced in a way that abuses animals and has no regard for human health and the environment."

Having dedicated her career to campaigning for social causes – from reproductive health to a clean energy transition – Beth has worked with The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WaterAid, UNHCR and the Jamie Oliver Group to mobilise the public and influence policymakers. "Our broken food system makes life harder for children and families who are already struggling," she says. "Evidence shows that junk food advertising is targeted more heavily at people in lower socioeconomic groups and healthy options are harder to come by in low-income areas. It's outrageous and unjust."

The lack of fundamental ethics amongst big food corporations angers Anna: "They constantly target young people, valuing profit over child health," says the young campaigner based in Yorkshire and the Humber. "Junk food giants have the largest influence in impressionable spaces that allow people to be targeted – like Council-owned spaces, or sports sponsorship," adds Anna. "I'd like to see a change to these harsh marketing strategies: a world where junk food isn't the only option."

Macey dreams of a world in which children from all socioeconomic backgrounds can access healthy, nutritious food, and is frustrated on a daily basis by the constant bombardment of junk food ads. "They should definitely stop advertising junk in Council-owned spaces, like vending machines at the gym," says the young activist, based in North West England. "And it's completely ludicrous and irresponsible of junk food corporations to manipulate children by directly targeting their products at them."

Young people may feel the need to eat at widely known, well-advertised places. "And when 8 out of 10 of those options are fast food, it makes us believe there are no alternatives," says Estel, who argues that we need to give healthier options a bigger share of the spotlight. "Especially in places where young people spend most of their time, like parks and leisure centres," adds the London-based activist. "It'd be a dream come true to see alternatives to the usual crisps and ice cream."

Writer. Wordsmith. Wrecking ball to junk food spin. “Whether it’s trying to have social time or trying to pick a healthy option, every part of the food system is rigged to distract and harm us,” says the London-based activist. “I would like to change the way advertising is aimed at us, and see companies providing healthy and enjoyable alternatives.” As a keen writer, Srilakshmi’s words have been at the forefront of some of our most impactful campaigns.

Heavily involved in our campaign to end junk food advertising on West Midlands public transport, Amy has repped Bite Back to Birmingham City Council and her local MP – and is a pro at gathering petition signatures. "I'm bombarded by junk food ads – on my phone, on billboards, or on passing public transport," says Amy, who helped write and record a group poem against junk food with fellow Birmingham-based activists. "This shouldn't be how a young person has to start their day."

Having loved cooking (and eating) food from a young age, Maya is excited to play a part in tackling food injustice. "Food giants target young children with deceptive and manipulative ads and products," says the Buckinghamshire-based activist. "Junk food hogs the spotlight, and profits are prioritised over children's health. And the bottom shelves – closest to babies, toddlers, and children – are flooded with foods that are high in salt, sugar, and fat, hidden behind mascots and bright, eye-catching packaging."

Lucy finds peace from the noisy world through her headphones, blasting bangers on her way to college. She wants this peace to extend to what she sees as well as hears, “I would like to end junk food advertising, especially on public transport, as it is the main way students like me get to and from school or college and it is having a negative impact on our health.” When the Manchester-based activist isn't busy creating a better environment for the city’s young people, she's creating beauty through her crochet skills.

Farid is quick on his feet, not only when playing football, but also when harnessing the power of words. His spoken word skills have the power to give goosebumps to whoever's listening, and he’s not stopping there. “It is impossible for junk food and a promising future to coexist,” the Manchester-based activist says. “So the latter simply needs to be prioritised by stopping the infiltration of junk food on our high streets and adverts in our open spaces."