10. Global food promotion, marketing and advertising are closely linked with globalization, leading to dietary transitions towards unhealthy foods. The aim of food marketing is to increase demand for products by making people develop the habit of consuming the product regularly. Aggressive expansionist strategies pursued by TNCs in emerging economies over the last few decades have increased the visibility and familiarity of global food brands, which are then leveraged to increase consumption of these products. Specific marketing tools are used to increase consumption by ensuring the presence of global food brands in as many places as possible at affordable prices, while expanding the variety of their products to suit local tastes and purchasing capacities. In order to cater to some rural areas and low-income populations, soft drink companies have invested in smaller bottles at lower prices to create acceptability of the product. In other places, portion sizes are increased to encourage greater consumption. At an individual level, increased purchasing power and the convenience of ready-to-eat products promote the consumption of unhealthy foods. At a population level, the aggressive and systematic marketing strategies used by TNCs fuel this demand.
11. The food industry spends billions of dollars on persistent and pervasive promotion and marketing of unhealthy foods. TNCs often enter into exclusive contracts with fast food outlets to sell their foods. Varied pricing strategies are used as a mechanism to elicit demand for unhealthy products. Supermarkets have also been found to provide more price discounts for unhealthy foods compared to healthy foods.
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22. To prevent harm to people’s health and fulfill their obligation under the right to health, States should put in place national policies to regulate advertising of unhealthy foods. States should formulate laws and a regulatory framework with the objective of reducing children’s exposure to powerful food and drink marketing. Such regulations should ensure that the food industry provide accurate and reader-friendly nutrition information when advertising their products.
| Year | 2014 |
| Topic | Food policy |
| Document Type | Special Reports |
| Country | N/A |
| Policy Area | Food marketing regulations Industry interference Food and nutrition security |
| Human Rights | Right to adequate food and nutrition Right to information Right to a healthy environment Business and human rights |
| Groups Affected | People living in rural areas Low-income groups Children and adolescents |
Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health: Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development, A/HRC/26/31, (2014). Par. 10, 11, 22. Available at: https://undocs.org/A/HRC/26/31
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