PROFITS BEFORE PLATES: ANALYZING THE NUTRITIONAL NEGLECT IN CORPORATE-CONTROLLED FOOD COMMERCIALISATION

Nowadays, companies in the global food trade often choose money over people's health, mainly for underserved people. Researchers examined why major food companies make it easy to find sugary drinks, snacks, and fast food, but make it hard to buy nutritious alternatives. The researchers investigate how large food businesses promote their products by targeting advertising at children, paying to serve their food in school lunches, and opposing more rigid food marketing rules for kids. The use of these methods harms your nutrition and further increases health inequities. The study investigates the ways companies use specific techniques, such as advertising for a quick result, making marketing that sugar coats what is nutritional, and choosing prices for products with more appealing shelf life, to make ultra-processed foods more acceptable. Data was gathered by viewing food advertisements, analyzing corporate reports, interviewing experts, and gathering information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). I use discourse analysis, thematic coding, and corporate influence mapping to confirm a thorough assessment. Studies indicate that steps taken by big businesses are contributing to instances of obesity, shortages of essential vitamins and minerals, and ongoing illnesses, mainly affecting those in low-income areas of the Global South. These corporations often set food policies in their favor and weaken laws meant to protect people’s health. The paper wraps up by urging the industry to enforce better food rules, use more open labeling, and offer help for healthy food campaigns in various communities. Such reforms are necessary and valuable to bring back the right balance between companies and health, promoting fairness, good business ethics, and fairness in the food system. Making labels more straightforward to understand is a significant focus of the reforms, so consumers can pick healthy food.