Comments on: Does commercial success by food companies equal public health failure? http://www.foodinfo.org.nz/does-commercial-success-equal-public-health-failure/ Food and nutrition blog Fri, 20 Jun 2014 04:05:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6 By: Donnell Alexander http://www.foodinfo.org.nz/does-commercial-success-equal-public-health-failure/comment-page-1/#comment-5056 Donnell Alexander Wed, 19 Mar 2014 01:08:05 +0000 http://www.foodinfo.org.nz/?p=553#comment-5056 Thanks Lisa. Apologies for the delay in posting due to IT challenges!
I have a problem with the comparison between food companies and cigarette companies, as food companies (which is whom I’m speaking of) have the ability to alter their product mix. In fact they have, and continue to do this. Yes, some small players may aim to exploit a market niche, but they are not the food companies who are in it for the long haul – who seriously do factor the nutrition and the health of their consumers into their business sustainability plans. As such they are able to achieve far more change over time by bringing consumers with them, than through blunt tools like legislation. I guess my point has alwyas been that the ‘tool’ with the greatest power to create positive change is to truely collaborate across all sector groups.

]]> By: Lisa Te Morenga http://www.foodinfo.org.nz/does-commercial-success-equal-public-health-failure/comment-page-1/#comment-5027 Lisa Te Morenga Tue, 11 Mar 2014 22:39:41 +0000 http://www.foodinfo.org.nz/?p=553#comment-5027 Donnell, you argue that “a company who purposefully harms the health of their consumers is not sustainably commercially successful”. However Tobacco companies purposefully harm their customers and control of the unarguable harm done by smoking has only been achieved through regulation and public action.

Surely, as long as it is more profitable to produce and market junk food there will be companies there to exploit that market niche? As you acknowledge “taste and price are the major drivers to purchase” and since the taste of junk food is so appealing (sugar and fat – the perfect hedonistic combination :-P ) then realistically what tools are we left with other than trying to influence price and availability of junk food?

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