Food giants accused of selling less-healthy products to poorer countries

The world’s largest food and beverage companies are selling less healthy products in low-income countries compared to those in wealthier nations – contributing to the global obesity crisis as packaged foods become more prevalent worldwide, a report has warned.

Published this week by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI), the report raises concerns about the nutritional quality of products from major multinationals, including Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever, sold in poorer regions.

The findings show a significant gap in healthfulness, with products sold in low-income countries scoring an average of just 1.8 stars on the Health Star Rating system, compared to 2.3 stars in high-income countries.

The Health Star Rating, developed in Australia and New Zealand, ranks products from 0 to 5 stars, with scores above 3.5 indicating healthier options.

“It’s a very clear picture that what these companies are selling in the poorest countries in the world, where they are more and more active, are not healthy products,” Mark Wijne, ATNI’s research director, told Reuters.

He described the findings as a “wake-up call” for governments in low-income countries, urging them “to be vigilant”.

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