Cited by 36Global Public Health Policies and EpidemiologyEconomics of Agriculture and Food MarketsPublic Health Policies and Education

Strategies used by the soft drink industry to grow and sustain sales: a case-study of the Coca-Cola company in East Asia

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Huse, Oliver, Reeve, Erica, Bell, Colin, Sacks, Gary, Baker, Phillip, Wood, Benjamin, Backholer, Kathryn·2022·BMJ Global Health

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The market and non-market activities of the food and beverage industry contribute to unhealthy and unsustainable dietary patterns, increasingly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aimed to describe how The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), as the world market leader in the sugar-sweetened beverage sector, operationalises their activities in LMICs in East Asia, among the world's most highly populated yet under-researched countries, to illustrate the ways in which these activities may negatively influence health outcomes. METHODS: We adopted a theoretically-guided qualitative research design and documentary analysis method. Data sources included: industry documents and web pages, marketing case studies obtained from the World Advertising Research Centre, media reports, global trade summaries and websites of industry associations. To guide data analysis, we synthesised a conceptual framework from existing commercial determinants of health literature, to describe ways in which the market and non-market activities of TCCC influence health. RESULTS: TCCC leverages subsidiary companies and investments in international networks to expand its supply chains. The company engages in frequent political activities to minimise the implementation of nutrition policies that may impact profits. The company markets products, particularly on digital and mobile devices, often targeting children, adolescents and mothers, and undertakes public relations activities related to human rights, environmental sustainability and community and economic supports, and these public relations activities are often integrated into marketing campaigns. The identified activities of TCCC are frequently in direct contrast to efforts to improve the healthfulness of population diets in East Asia LMICs. CONCLUSIONS: A public health analysis of the market and non-market activities of corporations active in unhealthy commodity industries needs to be broad in scope to cover the diverse set of strategies used to increase their market power and influence. Governments should consider a suite of policy options to attenuate these commercial determinants of unhealthy diets.

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  • One study found that over half of Coca-Cola Co.'s marketing campaigns in East Asian Low- and Middle-Income countries were targeted at teens and/or young adults.

    “One study found that over half of Coca-Cola Co. ' s marketing campaigns in East Asian Low- and Middle-Income countries were targeted at teens and/or young adults (Huse et al. 2022).”

    From Corporate concentration and power matter for agency in food systems (2025) · cites this paper as Huse et al. 2022

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  1. [61]Reardon T, Timmer C. Transformation of Markets for Agricultural Output in Developing Countries Since 1950: How Has Thinking Changed? In: Evenson RE, Pingali P, Schultz TP, eds. Handbook of agricultural economics: agricultural development: farmers, farm production and farm markets. 3. Burlington: Elsevier, 2005.
  2. [98]The Coca-Cola Company. Form 10-K: Quarterly report for the quarterly period ended March 30, 2012, 2012.
  3. [102]The Coca-Cola Company. 2013 annual review: reasons to believe, 2013..
  4. [112]Otto B. Indonesian Sugar-Tax talk chills drinks industry. The Wall Street Journal 2015.
  5. [121]The Coca-Cola Company. 2007 annual review: language of Refreshment, 2007.
  6. [173]Carameli LS. The anti-competitive effects and antitrust implications of category management and category Captains of consumer products. Chicago-Kent Law Review 2004; 79.

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Authors
Huse, O., Reeve, E., Bell, C., Sacks, G., Baker, P., Wood, B., & Backholer, K.
Affiliations
Deakin University (AU)
Corresponding author
Huse, Oliver
Venue
BMJ Global Health
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2022-12
Volume
7
Issue
12
Pages
e010386
ISSN
2059-7908 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4310808903
Cited by
36
References
102
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 5
FWCI
6.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • BMJ Global Health (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • LSHTM Research Online (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) (acceptedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Funders
  • Australian Government
  • UNICEF China
  • Australia New Zealand Obesity Society
  • Australian Research Council
  • The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • National Heart Foundation of Australia (102035, 102047)
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (GNT2008535)
  • National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (APP1132792, APP1169322)
  • UNICEF East Asia and Pacific
  • The World Health Organization
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Economics of Agriculture and Food Markets
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Public Health Policies and Education
Keywords
soft drink industry, sugar-sweetened beverages, commercial determinants of health, corporate marketing strategy, lobbying, nutrition policy, public relations, unhealthy diet, East Asia, low- and middle-income countries, public health policy
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Carbonated Beverages, Child, Coca, Asia, Eastern, Female, Food, Humans, Food Industry

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