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Cited by 134Global Public Health Policies and EpidemiologyConsumer Attitudes and Food LabelingEconomics of Agriculture and Food Markets

Ultra-Processed Profits: The Political Economy of Countering the Global Spread of Ultra-Processed Foods – A Synthesis Review on the Market and Political Practices of Transnational Food Corporations and Strategic Public Health Responses

Open access
Moodie, Rob, Bennett, Elizabeth, Kwong, Edwin Jit Leung, Santos, Thiago M., Pratiwi, Liza, Williams, Joanna, Baker, Phillip·2021·International Journal of Health Policy and Management
DOI 10.34172/ijhpm.2021.45PMC PMC9309965
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Ultra-processed food (UPF) and Ultra-processed beverage (UPB) consumption is associated with higher risks of numerous non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Yet global consumption of these products is rising due to profound changes in production, processing, manufacturing, marketing, retail, and consumption practices, alongside the growth of the resources and political influence of Big Food. Whilst the sales of UPFs and UPBs in high-income countries (HICs) are stagnating, sales are rapidly expanding in more populous middle-income countries (MICs). In this paper, we adopt a political economy of food systems approach to understand how growth of Big Food in MICs drives the NCD pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a mixed methods synthesis review. This involved quantitative data collection and development of descriptive statistics; a search for academic, market and grey literature on the expansion of UPF in MICs; and the development of themes, three illustrative case examples (South Africa, Colombia, and Indonesia), and synthesis of the enablers of successful campaigns in MICs into recommendations for public health campaigns. RESULTS: We project that the combined sales volume of UPFs in MICs will reach equivalency with HICs by 2024, and the total sales volume of UPBs in MICs is already significantly higher than in HICs. Similarly, annual growth in UPF sales is higher in MICs compared to HICs. We also show how Big Food has entrenched its presence within MICs through establishing global production and hyper-local distribution networks, scaling up its marketing, challenging government policies and scientific expertise, and co-opting civil society. We argue that public health can counter the influence of Big Food by developing an expanded global network of driven and passionate people with diverse skillsets, and advocating for increased government leadership. CONCLUSION: The projected increase in sales of UPFs and UPBs in MICs raises major concerns about the global capacity to prevent and treat NCDs.

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  • There is a growing literature investigating the linkages between the activities of the dominant UPF firms and public health outcomes.

    “For example, there is a growing literature investigating the linkages between the activities of the dominant UPF firms and public health outcomes (Wood et al. 2023; Slater et al. 2024; Moodie et al. 2021).”

    From Corporate concentration and power matter for agency in food systems (2025) · cites this paper as Moodie et al. 2021

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. [44]Wiist WH The corporate play book, health, and democracy: the snack food and beverage industry’s tactics in context In: Stuckler D, Siegel K, eds 2011 Oxford Oxford University Press 204-216
  2. [55]Baum F. The New Public Health. 4th ed. Melbourne: Oxford University Press; 2015.
  3. [73]Chan M. Opening Address, 8th Global Conference on Health Promotion. World Health Organization; 2013. https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2013/health_promotion_20130610/en/. Accessed July 20, 2020.
  4. [76]Nestle M Food Politics 1st ed 2013 Berkley University of California Press 95
  5. [97]Mialon M Swinburn B Sacks G A proposed approach to systematically identify and monitor the corporate political activity of the food industry with respect to public health using publicly available information Obes Rev 2015 16 7 519 530 10.1111/obr.12289 25988272 · DOI · Paper page
  6. [109]Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola 2010 Annual Review. Atlanta: The Coca-Cola Company; 2010.

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Authors
Moodie, R., Bennett, E., Kwong, E. J. L., Santos, T. M., Pratiwi, L., Williams, J., & Baker, P.
Affiliations
  • The University of Melbourne (AU)
  • James Cook University (AU)
  • Universidade Federal de Pelotas (BR)
  • Indonesian Adolescent Health Association, Jakarta, Indonesia.
  • Deakin University (AU)
Corresponding author
Moodie, Rob
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Health Policy and Management
Publisher
Maad Rayan Publishing Company
Published
2021-05-24
Volume
10
Issue
12
Pages
968-982
ISSN
2322-5939 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.34172/ijhpm.2021.45
PMC
PMC9309965
OpenAlex
W3170371071
Cited by
130
References
114
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 5
FWCI
3.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • International Journal of Health Policy and Management (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ResearchOnline at James Cook University (James Cook University) (submittedVersion)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Deakin Research Online (Deakin University) (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Economics of Agriculture and Food Markets
Keywords
ultra-processed foods, Big Food, middle-income countries, non-communicable diseases, food marketing, public health campaigns, food system reform, South Africa, Colombia, Indonesia
MeSH terms
Noncommunicable Diseases, Commerce, Humans, Organizations, Public Health, Fast Foods

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