How political economy dynamics constrain a focus on nutrition in food retail policy: Analysis from Southeast Asian countries

Food retail environments in Southeast Asia are undergoing a significant transformation, marked by the rapid expansion of modern retail formats and simultaneous decline in traditional outlets. Despite the health implications of this shift, the political economy and governance dynamics shaping retail environments have received little attention from researchers and health policy makers. This study addresses that gap by analysing the institutional factors and actors interests that influence food retail policy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key policy actors across four case study countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, and Thailand). In total, 115 policy actors agreed to participate. The 3-i framework was used to inform the analysis on how and why food retail policies are made or change over time, through the interaction of interests, institutions and ideas. Interview data were analysed using a thematic analysis technique. This study found that across the four Asian countries nutrition was not prioritised by governments because food retail policies were largely shaped by institutional mandates focused on economic growth and food safety, while strong industry relationships, unequal power dynamics, and fragmented governance limited the integration of nutrition into policy development. Particularly, dominant institutional power of non-health ministries, long-standing government-industry ties, and development narratives centered on economic growth limited governments' ability to address unhealthy food retail environments. This study suggests that strengthening the health sector's influence in multisectoral food retail governance, broadening and balancing stakeholder representation, and reframing nutrition as a core development consideration. This should be supported by regional networks that can facilitate cross-country learning, coalition-building, and technical guidance. Together, these actions can help create a more policy space for advancing healthier food retail environments and nutrition-focused reforms across the region.