The Global Access to Nutrition Index 2024, in its fifth edition, concluded that multinational packaged food companies including Unilever, Coca-Cola, Mondelez, PepsiCo, Kellanova, Nestle, Lotte, and Mars sell fewer healthier products in low-income nations like India.
There were notable differences in health star ratings, according to the independent assessment, which was released by the international organization Access to Nutrition Initiative. The average score for food companies' products was 1.8 in low-income countries and 2.3 in high-income countries.
The index uses a health star rating system with a range of 1 to 5 points, with a score of 3.5 or higher indicating a healthier product. This is the first index that breaks down scores according to income level.
In high-income nations, the growing popularity of weight-loss drugs has begun to upend the packaged food industry, putting pressure on food manufacturers to find new product lines and markets.
According to the ATNi report. "Many multinationals are also increasingly deriving more revenue from low and middle-income countries than from high income countries."
In terms of revenue, India is Unilever's second-largest market after the US. They rely on emerging markets for over 60% of their business.
Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tanzania, and Vietnam are all classified as low- and lower-middle-income nations by ATNi.
This year, 30 significant food and beverage firms were evaluated by the ATNi index using criteria such as nutrient profile models, portfolio improvement, responsible labeling and marketing, etc.
 In the meanwhile, some businesses have implemented nutrient profile models that have been approved by the government, however this is limited to specific regions. For example, PepsiCo, the company that sells Tropicana juice and Lay's chips, has set a goal to boost sales of goods with an A/B nutri-score. However, only its snack portfolio in the EU is covered by this program.
According to the report, corporations' voluntary efforts have not been enough to guarantee widespread and robust nutrition-related performance thus far. "Governments and legislators should enact laws requiring front-of-pack labeling, raising the price of goods rich in fat, sugar, or salt, lowering the cost of healthier foods, and limiting marketing.
The nation's food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, is attempting to force packaged food companies to reveal nutritional information such as saturated fat, salt, and total sugars. But according to experts, the country needs a clearer definition of what foods are healthy and which are not. The next health crisis may be caused by junk food if this distinction is not made.

Health rating differed between low income and high-income countries

Packaged food Companies are selling less healthier food in India: ATNi report

Health rating differed between low income and high-income countries

November 10, 2024 | 13:17 IST