Business

Fans shown 65,000 junk food ads at World Cup

Coca-Cola had the highest number (21,893), followed by McDonald’s (13,915), Powerade (12,777), and Lay’s – the crisps manufacturer known as Walkers in the UK – (12,087).

Published

3 weeks ago

September 22, 2026

OCHEFA

153 Views

Football fans were shown a “constant bombardment” of advertisements promoting junk food and drinks during matches at the 2026 Fifa World Cup, according to a new study.

BBC reported that researchers at the University of Bristol and University of Oxford created an AI tool to analyse ads which were visible to television viewers during live play in the tournament’s 104 matches, mostly displayed on pitchside advertising boards and around stadiums in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

They found that logos and products for brands that produce junk food and drinks – defined by the UK government as being high in fat, salt or sugar – were displayed 65,722 times in total.

And the study also found that those adverts were visible for 28.1 hours’ time across the tournament, or just over 16% of the total time that matches were being played.

The ads were all shown on the international feed of matches during play – meaning they were visible to every viewer in every country broadcasting matches – and do not include ads shown during pre-match coverage, half-time commercial breaks, or the controversial in-match hydration breaks.

The model used by the researchers estimated that there were an average of 576 visible ads for junk food and drink shown during each individual match.

Coca-Cola had the highest number (21,893), followed by McDonald’s (13,915), Powerade (12,777), and Lay’s – the crisps manufacturer known as Walkers in the UK – (12,087).

All four brands are official partners of world football governing body Fifa, with the Powerade energy drink owned by the Coca-Cola company.

In response to the findings, Fifa argued that the vast majority of its revenue is put back into football, including on projects promoting health and wellbeing in which thousands of people participate.

Up Next

President Tinubu Urges Africa to Stop Exporting Raw Minerals

Don't Miss

Gambia Orders Nigerian Banks To Replace Foreign Staff by December 2026

Click to comment

Business

WEF could appoint Lagarde as its next chair, sources say

The WEF’s Board of Trustees, which includes Lagarde herself, was due to meet on November 2 and could elect her as its next chair, said the people close to the organisation, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of ⁠the matter.

Published

12 hours ago

October 15, 2026

OCHEFA

20 Views

•European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde

The World Economic Forum could appoint Christine Lagarde as its next chair as soon as next month, four people close to the organisation told Reuters, meaning she would step down early as European Central Bank chief and trigger a wider ‌reshuffle at the top of the ECB.Lagarde’s ECB term is scheduled to end in October 2027.

Leaving early would give European Union leaders a chance to pick a new ECB President before France’s spring presidential election, which opinion polls suggest the far-right could win, and could pave the way for a deal involving two other senior ECB roles.

No final decision has been taken yet, they said.

A spokesperson for the WEF said the forum could not confirm when the next full Board of Trustees meeting would take place, but that the aim was to hold one before the end of the year.

Business

Germany plans tax on sugary drinks

The tax is expected to generate additional revenue for the federal government of €690 million in 2027 and €925 million in 2028.

Published

12 hours ago

October 15, 2026

OCHEFA

24 Views

The German cabinet has approved draft legislation to tax sugary drinks in Europe’s biggest economy.

If passed by the German Bundestag, the tax will take effect on 1 July 2027.

The coalition aims to raise revenue for the federal budget while encouraging manufacturers to reduce sugar content and offer healthier products.

The levy is intended to ease pressure on the healthcare system, which faces costs of more than €2 billion every year linked to the high consumption of sugary drinks, which contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.

According to the federal government, Berlin is using the tax to implement “what associations from the fields of health, science, child protection, and consumer protection have long been demanding.”

The tax is expected to generate additional revenue for the federal government of €690 million in 2027 and €925 million in 2028.