Caribbean Youth and Civil Society unite against harmful food marketing

Across the Caribbean, a powerful and unified message has emerged: children deserve school environments that protect their health, not ones that promote harmful products.

 Over the past week, youth and civil society organisations across the region mobilised for Hope for the Future 3.0, a synchronised advocacy effort led by members of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) and the organisation’s youth arm, Healthy Caribbean Youth (HCY), alongside regional partners.

This year’s initiative called for a ban on the marketing of ultra-processed products in and around schools, an issue that continues to impact children’s health, food choices, and well-being across the region. Turning Awareness into Action

In Jamaica, youth and civil society organisations engaged communities through public education, dialogue, games, street interviews, and advocacy. On June 6, the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN), the Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ), and Fi We Children Foundation (FWCF) were at the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre in Kingston, engaging and sensitising members of the public on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children and the need for healthier school environments.

The event featured interactive activities designed to make the issue easy to understand and engaging for the public.

Through the “Pick-a-Fact” game, participants selected questions and answered fun, surprising facts about marketing to children, school food environments, and healthy policy solutions. Facilitators used their responses to spark conversation, share key information, and reinforce the importance of creating healthier environments for children.

Participants also took part in “Spot the Tactic”, where they were shown posters and asked to identify marketing tactics commonly used by large food and beverage companies. The activity encouraged people to think more critically about how branding, colours, characters, promotions, and messaging are used to influence children’s food preferences and choices.

Youth advocates also took to the streets to conduct vox pops with members of the public. Citizens were asked whether they believed unhealthy foods should be removed from school environments and whether marketing unhealthy foods to children, who may not fully understand the long-term health implications of their diets, should be considered exploitative.

Across these conversations, one message rang through clearly: people overwhelmingly supported getting unhealthy foods and the marketing of them out of the school environment. Many also expressed that healthier products should be promoted more and made more affordable and accessible to children, families, and schools.

These efforts contributed to increased public awareness and demonstrated growing support for policies that protect children from harmful commercial influences in school settings.“

The initiative also reinforced key messages from HCC and partners’ regional digital campaign, Make It Make Sense, which encourages the public to question the presence and promotion of unhealthy food and drink brands in school environments. The campaign also builds public and policymaker support for healthy food policies, while highlighting negative conflicts of interest and industry interference.

Why This Matters

The marketing of ultra-processed products to children influences their food preferences, shapes consumption patterns, and normalises unhealthy choices. This is especially concerning in school environments, which should promote health, learning, wellbeing, and positive development.

Addressing this issue is critical to reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across the Caribbean and ensuring that children are protected from commercial practices that undermine their right to grow, learn, and thrive in healthy environments.

“Speaking with members of the public reinforced that there is broad support for healthier school environments. People consistently pointed to the same challenges: the cost of healthier foods, the widespread availability and promotion of unhealthy options, and limited awareness of the long-term health consequences of poor nutrition.

These are not issues that children or families can solve alone. They require policy action. At this stage, we need to move beyond proving the need for healthier school environments and focus on meaningfully implementing the policies that will create safer spaces for our children to thrive,” said Natalia Burton, Project Officer, Jamaica Youth

Advocacy Network

“This initiative was about more than awareness; it was about action,” said Chevanese Tulloch, Communications Coordinator, Fi We Children Foundation.

“We are ready for stronger policies that protect children from harmful commercial influences in and around schools.”

Looking Ahead

The outcomes of Hope for the Future 3.0, including increased public awareness, strengthened regional collaboration, and visible public support, will contribute to ongoing efforts to advance healthy food policies and school nutrition standards across the Caribbean.

As youth and civil society continue to raise their voices, the call is clear: protect children, strengthen policies, and create healthier futures.