This UPF sales map brings new insight on the countries in the spotlight: unsurprisingly, USA leads the way, by far the highest UPF purchaser per capita, closely followed by several Northern European countries, Canada and Australia.
Also worth noting the very high growth rate in many low income countries, where the currently low UPF purchase rates are catching up. So while the USA and runner-ups should be targetted for immediate intervention, let's not forget the upcoming targets.This study also looks at an interesting angle of the evolution of UPFs purchase, and points a finger towards the food system: UPF markets are "𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴".
In short, where Big Food can reach, UPFs will appear.
In industrialised countries it is straightforward and supermarkets are the main channel for UPF sales. But the main Food&Bev corporations have implemented strategies to reach even the most remote / poorest locations, and thus made their products truly globally available: who has never noticed a Coca-Cola branded fridge in the middle of nowhere?
𝙐𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚?
Hopefully not, but it is a case of David and Goliath, so us consumers also need regulators to take action to reform the food system.
📲 In the meantime, the GoCoCo App is fully available in bottom-of-class USA and can help you make healthier choices while you shop 😉.
Full article here.
