11 August 2025
UK Youth and STOP THE TRAFFIK have joined forces with Burger King UK to launch a targeted prevention initiative addressing the growing threat of County Lines exploitation.
Reaching over 380,000 young people across the UK, the campaign addressed one of the most common and harmful forms of youth exploitation, where young people are coerced or manipulated into criminal activity, often related to drug trafficking. This innovative partnership highlight’s Burger King UK’s commitment to social responsibility— working with expert organisations to tackle this nationwide issue and support young people in the communities they serve.
Recent estimates indicate up to 46,000 young people are involved in County Lines, with the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) showing a 45% increase in referrals for young people in just 2 years (2021 to 2023). The economic pressures of the Cost of Living Crisis has only exacerbated these vulnerabilities, leaving many young people at greater risk of exploitation.
This innovative campaign was co-designed with young people who have lived experience, with support from youth clubs Together as One (Slough) and United Youth Alliance (Blackpool). Through a series of interactive sessions, young participants were empowered to connect with the issue on a personal level, contributing their insights and experiences to shape the initiative’s messaging and approach.
Mohammad, 16 from Slough, who took part in the design process shared his perspective, “I pray that what we have done can resonate and bring about a positive impact on even more young people in the country who may be exposed to county lines: that this may be their ticket to escaping from their silent suffering.”
“We created an advert on how to escape from the terrible situation if you ever found yourself in it. I thought it was extremely effective as the word needs to be spread as much as possible. It really opened my eyes to the scary realities people across the UK face. If I didn’t know what it was, how would anybody else? It was such a great way to get the word spread and it was such an educational experience.” – Iysla, 16, from Blackpool.
Launched in 2024, the campaign is run in partnership between UK Youth, Burger King UK and STOP THE TRAFFIK, aiming not only to raise awareness of the dangers of County Lines, but also to provide young people with access to critical support services. To further complement the campaign Burger King UK has committed to developing mandatory training for all its staff to raise awareness and provide training to equip them with the tools to recognize signs of exploitation and respond effectively.
Nicola Pierce, Director of Commercial Planning and ESG for Burger King UK said:
“We were delighted to be involved in this initiative in collaboration with our partners, UK Youth and STOP THE TRAFFIK. We are committed to supporting and empowering young people in our communities, and raising awareness of county lines exploitation is a key component of that. We are grateful to both partners for providing their expertise in the development of the campaign and our bespoke internal training materials. Along with the involvement of young people with lived experience, this has created a unique and impactful initiative. We look forward to continuing to drive awareness of this important issue.”
Rebekah Lisgarten, CEO from STOP THE TRAFFIK said:
“This campaign shows what leadership looks like. Burger King UK and UK Youth have stepped forward not because they had to, but because they recognise the power of their platforms to drive positive change. By working alongside STOP THE TRAFFIK and young people with lived experience, they’ve helped shape something that is not only meaningful, but potentially life-changing. This kind of collaboration—rooted in trust, action, and shared purpose—is exactly what we need to prevent exploitation and build safer communities.”
The campaign’s impact has already been felt. Following its launch, more than half of those surveyed reported either being personally at risk or knowing someone who might be vulnerable to similar forms of exploitation. This overwhelming response underscores the urgency of continuing to raise awareness and provide support to young people at risk.
Vicky Chenery, Assistant Director of External Relations for UK Youth, said:
“We are incredibly proud of this initiative. I want to thank Burger King UK for their extraordinary commitment to understanding the challenges faced by the communities they serve and for taking meaningful steps to make their restaurants safer and more inclusive. The campaign has highlighted the importance of involving young people in the co-design of programmes intended for them. We’ve been fortunate to collaborate with Together as One and United Youth Alliance, which have expertly and sensitively engaged young people. Keeping young people safe should be everyone’s responsibility, and we hope to see other businesses following Burger King UK’s lead to make our high streets safer.”