Parents across England are losing the battle against their children's demands for junk food, according to new research presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul. The study reveals that a staggering number of mums and dads are succumbing to what experts call 'pester power' during the weekly grocery shop.
Key Findings from the Survey
More than half (58%) of the 1,050 parents surveyed reported that their children frequently or always request products high in fat, salt, or sugar while food shopping. As a result, nearly three-quarters (72%) of parents admitted to often purchasing the requested items. The survey comprised 67% women with children aged between one and 18.
Younger children, particularly those aged four to 11, were found to make more demands than older children aged 12 to 18 and were more likely to pester than those aged three and under. Only 4% of parents said their child never made such requests.
Most Requested Items
- Ice creams and lollies (45%)
- Sweets and chocolates (43%)
- Sweets and biscuits (42%)
More than half of parents said children verbally asked for products, one in three picked up items and placed them in the basket or trolley, and around one in six talked about a product display or in-store advert.
Influence of Marketing and Promotions
Many parents (59%) admitted to being influenced by price promotions and in-store offers when making unplanned food purchases. Additionally, 52% of parents blamed shopping with children for these impulsive buys. Older children appeared more susceptible to in-store or media adverts. Overall, a quarter of parents said seeing branded, child-friendly characters on packaging or watching food adverts on TV or online before coming into the store was driving requests.
Almost a quarter (23%) of parents reported that these requests made them feel upset, guilty, or distressed. Lead researcher Emma Boyland, professor of food marketing and child health at the University of Liverpool, commented: 'While children might not be paying the bill at the checkout, their influence over their parents' purchasing decisions is very real. Parents can and do say no, but the current food environment does not help parents to feed their children healthy diets.'
Government Interventions
The report comes after a series of government measures aimed at reducing childhood obesity. In October 2025, a ban on supermarket multi-buy promotions, such as 'buy one, get one free', for unhealthy foods high in fat, sugar, or salt was imposed in England. This includes restrictions on placing these items at checkouts, store entrances, and aisle ends. Major retailers, including Tesco, have removed sweets, chocolate, and crisps from checkouts to reduce 'pester power'.
In January 2026, the government announced new regulations on junk food advertising. Adverts for less healthy food and drinks have been banned on TV before 9pm and online at all times. The government estimates this move will remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children's diets each year, reducing the number of children living with obesity by 20,000 and delivering around £2 billion in health benefits over time.
Co-author Dr Magdalena Muc from the Open University added: 'Children are highly susceptible to powerful and sophisticated marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages, and the frequent exposure we observe prompts them to pester their parents, putting them at greater risk of developing overweight and obesity. Concerningly, our findings suggest that it is the parents experiencing food insecurity who are pestered more frequently and it can be a real source of distress.'
