Benjamin Wood1, Owain Williams2, Vijaya Nagarajan3, Gary Sacks4. 1. Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia. bmwood@deakin.edu.au. 2. School of Political Science and International Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. 3. Macquarie Law School, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. 4. Global Obesity Centre, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The public health community has become increasingly critical of the role that powerful corporations play in driving unhealthy diets, one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease. While a substantial amount of work has examined the political strategies used by dominant processed food manufacturers that undermine public health, less attention has been paid to their use of market strategies to build and consolidate power. In this light, this paper aimed to systematically review and synthesise the market strategies deployed by dominant processed food manufacturers to increase and consolidate their power. METHODS: A systematic review and document analysis of public health, business, legal and media content databases (Scopus, Medline, ABI Inform, Business Source Complete, Thomas Reuters Westlaw, Lexis Advance, Factiva, NewsBank), and grey literature were conducted. Data extracted were analysed thematically using an approach informed by Porter's 'Five Forces' framework. RESULTS: 213 documents met inclusion criteria. The market strategies (n=21) and related practices of dominant processed food manufacturers identified in the documents were categorised into a typological framework consisting of six interconnected strategic objectives: i) reduce intense competition with equivalent sized rivals and maintaining dominance over smaller rivals; ii) raise barriers to market entry by new competitors; iii) counter the threat of market disruptors and drive dietary displacement in favour of their products; iv) increase firm buyer power over suppliers; v) increase firm seller power over retailers and distributors; and vi) leverage informational power asymmetries in relations with consumers. CONCLUSIONS: The typological framework is well-placed to inform general and jurisdiction-specific market strategy analyses of dominant processed food manufacturers, and has the potential to assist in identifying countervailing public policies, such as those related to merger control, unfair trading practices, and public procurement, that could be used to address market-power imbalances as part of efforts to improve population diets.
BACKGROUND: The public health community has become increasingly critical of the role that powerful corporations play in driving unhealthy diets, one of the leading contributors to the global burden of disease. While a substantial amount of work has examined the political strategies used by dominant processed food manufacturers that undermine public health, less attention has been paid to their use of market strategies to build and consolidate power. In this light, this paper aimed to systematically review and synthesise the market strategies deployed by dominant processed food manufacturers to increase and consolidate their power. METHODS: A systematic review and document analysis of public health, business, legal and media content databases (Scopus, Medline, ABI Inform, Business Source Complete, Thomas Reuters Westlaw, Lexis Advance, Factiva, NewsBank), and grey literature were conducted. Data extracted were analysed thematically using an approach informed by Porter's 'Five Forces' framework. RESULTS: 213 documents met inclusion criteria. The market strategies (n=21) and related practices of dominant processed food manufacturers identified in the documents were categorised into a typological framework consisting of six interconnected strategic objectives: i) reduce intense competition with equivalent sized rivals and maintaining dominance over smaller rivals; ii) raise barriers to market entry by new competitors; iii) counter the threat of market disruptors and drive dietary displacement in favour of their products; iv) increase firm buyer power over suppliers; v) increase firm seller power over retailers and distributors; and vi) leverage informational power asymmetries in relations with consumers. CONCLUSIONS: The typological framework is well-placed to inform general and jurisdiction-specific market strategy analyses of dominant processed food manufacturers, and has the potential to assist in identifying countervailing public policies, such as those related to merger control, unfair trading practices, and public procurement, that could be used to address market-power imbalances as part of efforts to improve population diets.
Authors: Jean-Claude Moubarac; Malek Batal; Ana Paula Bortoletto Martins; Rafael Claro; Renata Bertazzi Levy; Geoffrey Cannon; Carlos Monteiro Journal: Can J Diet Pract Res Date: 2014 Impact factor: 0.940
Authors: Boyd A Swinburn; Gary Sacks; Kevin D Hall; Klim McPherson; Diane T Finegood; Marjory L Moodie; Steven L Gortmaker Journal: Lancet Date: 2011-08-27 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Eurídice Martínez Steele; Larissa Galastri Baraldi; Maria Laura da Costa Louzada; Jean-Claude Moubarac; Dariush Mozaffarian; Carlos Augusto Monteiro Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2016-03-09 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Scheine Leite Canhada; Vivian Cristine Luft; Luana Giatti; Bruce Bartholow Duncan; Dora Chor; Maria de Jesus M da Fonseca; Sheila Maria Alvim Matos; Maria Del Carmen Bisi Molina; Sandhi Maria Barreto; Renata Bertazzi Levy; Maria Inês Schmidt Journal: Public Health Nutr Date: 2019-10-17 Impact factor: 4.022
Authors: Hannah Forde; Emma J Boyland; Peter Scarborough; Richard Smith; Martin White; Jean Adams Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-06-17 Impact factor: 3.006
Authors: Benjamin Wood; Phil Baker; Gyorgy Scrinis; David McCoy; Owain Williams; Gary Sacks Journal: Global Health Date: 2021-12-02 Impact factor: 4.185
Authors: Connie Hoe; Caitlin Weiger; Marela Kay R Minosa; Fernanda Alonso; Adam D Koon; Joanna E Cohen Journal: Global Health Date: 2022-02-14 Impact factor: 10.401
Authors: Carlos Augusto Monteiro; Mark Lawrence; Christopher Millett; Marion Nestle; Barry M Popkin; Gyorgy Scrinis; Boyd Swinburn Journal: BMJ Glob Health Date: 2021-07
Authors: Kelley Lee; Nicholas Freudenberg; Marco Zenone; Julia Smith; Melissa Mialon; Robert Marten; Joana Madureira Lima; Sharon Friel; Daniel Eisenkraft Klein; Eric Crosbie; Kent Buse Journal: Int J Health Serv Date: 2021-11-01 Impact factor: 1.663