The role of foreign direct investment in the nutrition transition

Abstract

Objective: To examine the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the nutrition transition, focusing on highly processed foods. Design: Data on FDI were identified from reports/databases and then compiled and analysed. A review of published literature on FDI into the food sector was conducted. Setting: The nutrition transition is a public health concern owing to its connection with the rising burden of obesity and diet-related chronic diseases in developing countries. Global health leaders are calling for action to address the threat. Highly processed foods often have considerable fat, sugar and salt content, and warrant closer examination. Results: FDI into food processing, service and retail has risen rapidly since the 1980s, mainly from transnational food companies (TFCs) in developed countries. As FDI has risen, so has the proportion invested in highly processed foods for sale in the host market. FDI has proved more effective than trade in generating sales of highly processed foods, and enables TFCs to cut costs, gain market power and obtain efficiencies in distribution and marketing. The amount of FDI targeted at developing countries is increasing; while a disproportionate share enters the larger developing economies, foreign affiliates of TFCs are among the largest companies in low-and low-to middle-income countries. The effect of FDI is to make more highly processed foods available to more people. FDI has made it possible to lower prices, open up new purchasing channels, optimise the effectiveness of marketing and advertising, and increase sales. Conclusion: FDI has been a key mechanism in shaping the global market for highly processed foods. Notwithstanding the role of demand-side factors, it has played a role in the nutrition transition by enabling and promoting the consumption of these foods in developing countries. Empirical data on consumption patterns of highly processed foods in developing countries are critically needed, but since FDI is a long-term investment vehicle, it is reasonable to assume that availability and consumption of highly processed foods will continue to increase. FDI can, however, bring considerable benefits as well as risks. Through its position 'upstream', FDI would therefore be an appropriate entry-point to implement a range of public health policies to 'redirect' the nutrition transition.

The relationship between international trade and non-nutritional health outcomes: A systematic review of quantitative studies

“…Recently, the implications of international trade, or trade in capital, goods and services between nations, to health and health systems have received considerable attention Fidler et al, 2009;Hawkes, 2005;Hawkes & Thow, 2008;Lee et al, 2009;Owen & Wu, 2007;Smith et al, 2009c;Walls, 2013). Much of this has been in the form of reports and books from international bodies (Blouin et al, 2006;WHO, 2014), qualitative, and case-study evidence covering a broad range of possible associations between trade and health Hawkes et al, 2009;Smith et al;.…”

“…First has been the relationship between overall patterns of flows in international trade or Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), defined as the inflow of investment to acquire a lasting management interest in an enterprise operating in a different economy from the investor (World Bank, 2014), and levels of international trade in health-related services (Smith, 2004;Smith et al, 2009a;Smith et al, 2009b;Smith et al, 2009c). Secondly, some research has been focused toward associations between flows of FDI, nutrition and other health behaviours including smoking (De Vogli et al, 2014;Gilmore & McKee, 2005;Hawkes, 2005;Walls, 2013).…”

Thailand's food retail transition: supermarket and fresh market effects on diet quality and health

“…Here we concentrate on a group of six indicator (problem) foods which may be considered to be characteristic of transitional diets and which may have negative nutritional impacts (Hawkes, 2005(Hawkes, , 2006Popkin, 2006;World Health Organisation, 2003). These "problem foods" were deep fried foods, soft drinks, snack foods (e.g.…”

Trade and investment liberalization and Asia¿s noncommunicable disease epidemic: a synthesis of data and existing literature

“…Growth in risk commodity markets has stagnated in high-income countries, but is rapidly expanding in lower-middle income (L-MICs) and upper-middle income countries (U-MICs) as TRCCs seek new profit opportunities from the burgeoning middles class consumers of Asia [21,22]. Although trade remains important, foreign direct investment (FDI) is the most significant strategy used by TRCCs to penetrate new markets and grow transnationally [13,20,23,24]. Subsequently, FDIinflows are positively correlated with risk commodity consumption rates and the prevalence of NCDs in L-MICs and U-MICs [21,25].…”

“…A key mechanism is transnational risk commodity corporations (TRCCs), those that manufacture, market and distribute such commodities on a global scale. Trade liberalization allows TRCCs to rapidly move investments, technologies, production capacity, raw materials and final products across borders and thereby drive risk commodity consumption transnationally [19][20][21]. Growth in risk commodity markets has stagnated in high-income countries, but is rapidly expanding in lower-middle income (L-MICs) and upper-middle income countries (U-MICs) as TRCCs seek new profit opportunities from the burgeoning middles class consumers of Asia [21,22].…”