Pushback

Eat healthily, cut back on alcohol, quit smoking, cycle to work, fly less – we all know what we should be doing. So why aren't we?

The answer is both simple and radical: the world is stacked against us. From the moment we wake up, our decisions are shaped by the shops we visit, the streets we walk down, the ads we scroll through. These environments are not neutral. They are designed for our convenience and immediate gratification, and to serve the interests of four industries: tobacco, ultra-processed food, alcohol and fossil fuels.

Together, these industries drive the climate crisis, from greenhouse gas emissions to deforestation, and contribute to our poor health and at least one in four deaths worldwide each year. Yet we are told the problem is one of personal responsibility – that with more information, smarter habits or new technologies, we can change our behaviour.

This book challenges those myths. Drawing on decades of cutting-edge research and compelling case studies from around the world, leading behavioural scientist Theresa Marteau explores what actually works, and why those in power keep failing to act on evidence. From taxing sugary drinks in Mexico to redesigning streets in Paris, from restricting junk food advertising in London to electing more women to office, Marteau shows how proven interventions applied at scale could transform our health and the health of our planet.

Clear-eyed and incisive, this is a book for anyone who wants to understand why change is so hard. It offers an inspiring blueprint for how citizens and governments can push back against vested interests and corporate power and build a fairer, brighter future, together.