The food industry’s role in influencing consumer demand for healthy and unhealthy food: perspectives from Australian food companies

Objective: This study sought to explore how food company representatives perceive the food industry’s role in responding to and driving consumer demand for healthy and unhealthy foods. Design: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2022 by 2-3 researchers to explore food company representatives’ perspectives related to consumer demand for healthy and unhealthy food. Detailed field notes, including verbatim quotes, were recorded, and the data analysed thematically. Setting: This study was part of a government funded 12-month intervention program to assess the impact of tailored support for food companies on company nutrition-related policies and practices. Participants: 32 food company representatives from 13 large food and beverage manufacturers in Australia. Results: Six themes were identified. Company representatives acknowledged that manufacturers actively shaped demand for both healthy and unhealthy foods. Healthy reformulation and aspects of nutrition labelling were constrained by anticipated consumer resistance, while demand for ‘less healthy’ products was driven by non-health attributes such as taste, comfort and affordability. Internal company marketing teams held significant influence regarding product development, promotion and labelling. Supermarkets were perceived as shaping demand via their marketing strategies. The competitive landscape, driven by pursuit of market share, was seen to fuel an ongoing cycle of promotion of ‘less healthy’ products. Conclusions: Food companies acknowledge playing an active role in influencing consumer demand for healthy and unhealthy food and beverages. A whole-of-system response, including changes in government regulation and practice change by the food industry, is needed to drive stronger action and accountability from food companies to support healthier diets.