In East London there have been numerous local initiatives to address the use of these establishments by school age children ( Rayner, 2013 Shift, 2013). Added to which, the format is easy to adapt to culturally appropriate diets of diverse urban populations, especially Halal. Chicken is a cheap product and chicken shops are low-cost and convenient ( Boseley, 2016 McBain, 2013). The appeal of the chicken shop can be partly understood as a matter of cost and affordability. Fried chicken is the fastest growing product in the fast-food sector in the UK, with growth concentrated within the independent and small chain retail sector (Meltzer, 2011). Chicken shops are outlets which specialise in fries (chips), deep-fried coated chicken pieces and chicken burgers in various combinations, typically served with a sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) ( Shift, 2013).

In the United Kingdom, the “Chicken Shop” has been a popular focus of concern, given their ubiquitous presence in urban neighbourhoods and their established place in urban youth culture. Consumption of, and proximity to, fast food has therefore been established as a potential risk-factor for diet-related poor health. Living near greater densities of fast food restaurants has been found to be associated with a lower likelihood of eating the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables ( Timperio et al., 2008) and an increased consumption of fast food ( Burgoine et al., 2016 Jiao et al., 2015). Fast food restaurants are also more prevalent in disadvantaged neighbourhoods compared to more advantaged ones ( Fleischhacker et al., 2010 Jiao et al., 2015), suggesting that exposure to fast food outlets is likely to be greater for those on low incomes. Fast food also contains industrially produced trans-fats which have been associated with risk of weight gain ( Stender et al 2007) and products purchased from independent and smaller franchise fast food outlets, rather than from large fast food chains, may have higher energy content and use lower quality fats (Jaworowska et al., 2014 Shift, 2013). Fast food is energy dense and nutrient poor compared to food prepared at home ( Guthrie, 2002) and portion sizes have been increasing over the past 50 years ( Young & Nestle, 2003). Excess consumption of fast food has been linked with a variety of health problems including obesity and type 2 diabetes ( Jeffery et al., 2006 Pereira et al., 2005 Stender et al., 2007).

Robotize fast food 2015