Food companies sell products that are less healthy in poorer countries, says report

Global food companies sell less healthy products in low-income countries compared to high-income countries, according to new report.

The world’s biggest food and beverage companies, on average, sell products in low-income countries that are less healthy than what they sell in high-income countries, according to a new report.

Products sold by companies including Nestle, Pepsico and Unilever were assessed as part of a global index published by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI), its first since 2021.

The non-profit group found that across 30 companies, the products sold in low-income countries scored lower on a star rating system developed in Australia and New Zealand than those sold in high-income countries.

In the Health Star Rating system, products are ranked out of 5 on their healthiness, with 5 the best, and a score above 3.5 considered to be a healthier choice.

In low-income countries, the multinationals’ portfolios rated 1.8 on the system. In high-income countries, where more products were tested, they were 2.3.

“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 their healthier products,” said Mark Wijne, research director at ATNI, in an interview with Reuters. “It’s a wake-up call for governments in these countries to be vigilant,” he added.

This is the first time the index has split the assessment into low and high-income countries.