‘Maximising shareholder value’: a detailed insight into the corporate political activity of the Australian food industry

AbstractObjectiveTo identify the corporate political activity (CPA) of major food industry actors in France.DesignWe followed an approach based on information available in the public domain. Different sources of information, freely accessible to the public, were monitored.Setting/SubjectsData were collected and analysed between March and August 2015. Five actors were selected: ANIA (Association Nationale des Industries Agroalimentaires/National Association of Agribusiness Industries); Coca-Cola; McDonald’s; Nestlé; and Carrefour.ResultsOur analysis shows that the main practices used by Coca-Cola and McDonald’s were the framing of diet and public health issues in ways favourable to the company, and their involvement in the community. ANIA primarily used the ‘information and messaging’ strategy (e.g. by promoting deregulation and shaping the evidence base on diet- and public health-related issues), as well as the ‘policy substitution’ strategy. Nestlé framed diet and public health issues, and shaped the evidence base on diet- and public health-related issues. Carrefour particularly sought involvement in the community.ConclusionsWe found that, in 2015, the food industry in France was using CPA practices that were also used by other industries in the past, such as the tobacco and alcohol industries. Because most, if not all, of these practices proved detrimental to public health when used by the tobacco industry, we propose that the precautionary principle should guide decisions when engaging or interacting with the food industry.

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Targeting Children and Their Mothers, Building Allies and Marginalising Opposition: An Analysis of Two Coca-Cola Public Relations Requests for Proposals

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17010012 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 12 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Benjamin Wood ◽

Gary Ruskin ◽

Gary Sacks

Keyword(s):

Public Relations ◽

Food Industry ◽

Direct Evidence ◽

Political Activity ◽

Policy Action ◽

Corporate Political Activity ◽

Public Health Community ◽

The Public ◽

Health Community ◽

Marketing To Children

The study provides direct evidence of the goals of food-industry-driven public relations (PR) campaigns. Two PR requests for proposals created for The Coca-Cola Company (Coke) were analysed. One campaign related to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, the other related to the 2013–2014 Movement is Happiness campaign. Supplementary data were obtained from a search of business literature. The study found that Coke specifically targeted teenagers and their mothers as part of the two PR campaigns. Furthermore, Coke was explicit in its intentions to build allies, particularly with key media organisations, and to marginalise opposition. This study highlights how PR campaigns by large food companies can be used as vehicles for marketing to children, and for corporate political activity. Given the potential threats posed to populations’ health, the use of PR agencies by food companies warrants heightened scrutiny from the public-health community, and governments should explore policy action in this area.

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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

Obesity Reviews ◽

10.1111/obr.12289 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 16 (7) ◽

pp. 519-530 ◽

Cited By ~ 70

Author(s):

M. Mialon ◽

B. Swinburn ◽

G. Sacks

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Food Industry ◽

Political Activity ◽

Corporate Political Activity ◽

Available Information

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Analysis of the corporate political activity of major food industry actors in Fiji

Globalization and Health ◽

10.1186/s12992-016-0158-8 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Melissa Mialon ◽

Boyd Swinburn ◽

Jillian Wate ◽

Isimeli Tukana ◽

Gary Sacks

Keyword(s):

Food Industry ◽

Political Activity ◽

Corporate Political Activity ◽

Major Food

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Nutri-score saga in France: how food industry actors tried to influence public health policies and public opinion

World Nutrition ◽

10.26596/wn.201892109-120 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 109-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Mélissa Mialon ◽

Chantal Julia ◽

Serge Hercberg

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Public Opinion ◽

Food Industry ◽

Political Activity ◽

Corporate Political Activity ◽

Ample Evidence ◽

The Media ◽

Expected Benefits ◽

The Government ◽

Health Objectives

In October 2017 in France, the government recognized the Nutri-Score front-of-pack labelling system as the only official system to be used on food products. As of July 2018, a total of 70 companies had implemented it voluntarily. There is ample evidence to support its use, and multiple expected benefits in terms of public health. We present here an essay discussing about the Nutri-Score saga. A policy dystopia model, from the literature on tobacco industry tactics, was adapted to classify the corporate political activity of the food industry during the development and implementation of the Nutri-Score. We conclude that, despite public commitments made by some industry actors to implement this system, the food industry is still strongly trying to influence policy and public opinion in the country. There are and will be many hurdles along the way, with food industry members trying to influence regulation at the European level, and building alliances with the media, among others, in France. Hopefully, public health objectives will prevail over commercial interests, in France and abroad.

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Food industry political practices in Chile: “the economy has always been the main concern”

Globalization and Health ◽

10.1186/s12992-020-00638-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mélissa Mialon ◽

Camila Corvalan ◽

Gustavo Cediel ◽

Fernanda Baeza Scagliusi ◽

Marcela Reyes

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Food Industry ◽

Political Influence ◽

Political Activity ◽

The Political ◽

Main Concern ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Corporate Political Activity ◽

Study Objective ◽

Nutrition Labelling

Abstract Background In the business literature, the term “corporate political activity” (CPA) refers to the political strategies undertaken by corporations to protect or expend their markets, by influencing, directly or indirectly, the policy process. There is evidence that food industry actors use such political practices, which poses a significant threat to public health. Our study objective was to identify the political practices of the food industry in Chile. Results In Chile, food industry actors supported community initiatives, particularly those targeted at children and those focused on environmental sustainability. Food industry actors also funded research through prizes, scholarships, and by supporting scientific events. Food industry actors lobbied against the development and implementation of a front-of-pack nutrition labelling policy, including with support from the Ministries of Economy, Agriculture and Foreign Affairs. Food industry actors, for example, claimed that there would be unintended negative consequences for society and the economy, and that the policy would breach trade agreements. The same arguments were used against a proposed tax increase on sugar-sweetened beverages. Food industry actors stressed their crucial role in the Chilean economy and claimed to be part of the solution in the prevention and control of obesity, with a particular focus on their efforts to reformulate food products, and their support of physical activity initiatives. Interviewees noted that the political influence of the food industry is often facilitated by the neo-liberal and market-driven economy of Chile. Nevertheless, this system was questioned through social protests that started in the country during data collection. Conclusions In Chile, food industry actors used numerous action- and argument-based CPA practices which may influence public health policy, research, and practice. Despite strong influence from the food industry, Chile adopted a front-of-pack nutrition labelling policy. While the country has some measures in place to manage the interactions between government officials or public health professionals, and the industry, there is still a need to develop robust mechanisms to address undue influence from corporations.

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Sugary drinks taxation: industry’s lobbying strategies, practices, and arguments in the Brazilian legislature

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s136898002100149x ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-30

Author(s):

Aline Brandão Mariath ◽

Ana Paula Bortoletto Martins

Keyword(s):

Food Industry ◽

Political Activity ◽

Future Research ◽

Corporate Political Activity ◽

Public Health Recommendation ◽

Sugary Drinks ◽

Public Hearings ◽

Five Practices ◽

Industry Associations ◽

Environmental Importance

Abstract Objective: to assess the strategies, practices, and arguments used by the industry to lobby legislators against sugary drinks taxation in Brazil. Design: we performed a content analysis of arguments put forward by sugary drink and sugar industries against sugary drinks taxation, using the framework developed by the International Network for Food and Obesity/NCD Research, Monitoring and Action Support to assess corporate political activity of the food industry. Setting: two public hearings held in 2017 and 2018 in the Brazilian Legislature. Participants: representatives from two prominent industry associations – one representing Big Soda and the other representing the main sugar, ethanol, and bioelectricity producers. Results: the ‘Information and messaging’ and ‘Policy substitution’ strategies were identified. Five practices were identified in the ‘Information and messaging’ strategy (four described in the original framework and an additional practice, ‘Stress the environmental importance of the industry’). Mechanisms not included in the original framework identified were ‘Stress the reduction of CO2 emissions promoted by the industry’; ‘Question the effectiveness of regulation’; ‘Suggest public-private partnerships’; ‘Shift the blame away from the product’; and ‘Question sugary drinks taxation as a public health recommendation’. No new practices or mechanisms to the original framework emerged in the ‘Policy substitution’ strategy. Conclusions: the strategies and practices are used collectively and complement each other. Arguments hereby identified are in line with those reported in other countries under different contexts and using different methodologies. Future research should address whether and under what conditions lobbying from this industry sector is effective in the Brazilian Legislature.

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“The architecture of the state was transformed in favour of the interests of companies”: corporate political activity of the food industry in Colombia

Globalization and Health ◽

10.1186/s12992-020-00631-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Melissa Mialon ◽

Diego Alejandro Gaitan Charry ◽

Gustavo Cediel ◽

Eric Crosbie ◽

Fernanda Baeza Scagliusi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Food Industry ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Health Policies ◽

Political Activity ◽

Food Environments ◽

Corporate Political Activity ◽

Public Health Policies ◽

Discursive Strategies ◽

The Media

Abstract Background In Colombia, public health policies to improve food environments, including front-of-pack nutrition labelling and marketing restrictions for unhealthy products, are currently under development. Opposition to these policies by the food industry is currently delaying and weakening these efforts. This opposition is commonly known as ‘corporate political activity’ (CPA) and includes instrumental (action-based) strategies and discursive (argument-based) strategies. Our aim was to identify the CPA of the food industry in Colombia. Methods We conducted a document analysis of information available in the public domain published between January–July 2019. We triangulated this data with interviews with 17 key informants. We used a deductive approach to data analysis, based on an existing framework for the CPA of the food industry. Results We identified 275 occurrences of CPA through our analysis of publicly available information. There were 197 examples of instrumental strategies and 138 examples of discursive strategies (these categories are not mutually exclusive, 60 examples belong to both categories). Interview participants also shared information about the CPA in the country. The industry used its discursive strategies to portray the industry in a ‘better light’, demonstrating its efforts in improving food environments and its role in the economic development of the country. The food industry was involved in several community programmes, including through public private initiatives. The industry also captured the media and tried to influence the science on nutrition and non-communicable diseases. Food industry actors were highly prominent in the policy sphere, through their lobbying, close relationships with high ranking officials and their support for self-regulation in the country. Conclusions The proximity between the industry, government and the media is particularly evident and remains largely unquestioned in Colombia. The influence of vulnerable populations in communities and feeling of insecurity by public health advocates is also worrisome. In Colombia, the CPA of the food industry has the potential to weaken and delay efforts to develop and implement public health policies that could improve the healthiness of food environments. It is urgent that mechanisms to prevent and manage the influence of the food industry are developed in the country.

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Corporations in global health: an investigation of food industry political activity at the WHO

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.1245 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

K Lauber ◽

H Rutter ◽

D McGee ◽

A B Gilmore

Keyword(s):

Food Industry ◽

Tobacco Industry ◽

Communicable Disease ◽

Political Activity ◽

World Health ◽

Global Public Health ◽

Global Level ◽

Corporate Political Activity ◽

Political Behaviour ◽

Country Level

Abstract Background With over ten million annual deaths now attributable to unhealthy diets, there is an urgent need for action, yet, political progress is too slow. Policy interference by major corporations is well documented in the area of tobacco control. Evidence shows similar behaviours by the food industry at country level, but global-level policymaking remains under-researched. Thus, this study explores how food industry actors seek to influence dietary non-communicable disease (NCD) policy at the World Health Organization (WHO). Methods We identified relevant industry documents from the Food Industry Documents Library and academic articles, using these initial findings and an existing model of corporate political activity as the basis for sixteen key informant interviews. Key industry strategies were identified in an iterative process of qualitative thematic coding. Additionally, food industry responses to five WHO consultations on NCD policy and governance (2015-2018) were analysed to explore how evidence was used. Results Food industry actors have substantial access to the WHO through formal routes. These interactions largely take place through business associations rather than individual companies, owing at least partly to the agency's own guidelines. Food industry actors can also access global-level policymaking indirectly, for example, by lobbying national political actors to adopt favourable positions in member state-led WHO decision-making, or by co-opting civil society. In consultation responses, the majority of evidence cited by commercial actors was either industry-linked or industry-funded, and less than half was peer-reviewed. Conclusions Focusing on the WHO's NCD agenda, we provide new insights into the ways food industry actors seek to influence global public health policy. Although their political behaviour bears similarities with that of the tobacco industry, multinational food companies are, in contrast, widely treated as part of the solution. Key messages By mapping how food industry actors seek to shape WHO policy, this research adds to evidence from national contexts and highlights a need for better safeguards across levels of governance. While the tobacco industry is prohibited from engagement with global NCD policy, multinational food corporations enjoy significant access and legitimacy, despite similarities in political behaviour.

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