Global food giants still hooked on selling unhealthy products, study reveals

A new analysis has revealed that four of the world’s largest food manufacturers rely heavily on unhealthy products. The study examined Danone, Kellogg’s, Kraft Heinz, Nestlé, and Unilever across Australia, France, and Mexico. It found that a significant portion of their offerings fall into the unhealthy category. The assessment showed that 65% of products sold by these companies in Australia were unhealthy. In France, the figure was 63%, while in Mexico it stood at 60%. Danone performed best, with only 35% of its products classified as unhealthy.

Kellogg’s, Kraft Heinz, Nestlé, and Unilever consistently underperformed across all three markets. The findings build on earlier UK research from ShareAction and Action on Salt in July 2022, which reported that over half of these manufacturers’ flagship products in the UK were unhealthy.

Holly Gabriel from ShareAction called on global food manufacturers to disclose sales data for healthier foods and set improvement targets. Mhairi Brown from WASSH added that industry willingness alone would not bring meaningful nutritional changes. Investors have raised concerns about potential regulatory risks for companies slow to reduce their dependence on unhealthy products. The study highlights the need for greater transparency and action to shift product portfolios toward healthier options. The data underscores persistent challenges in improving food industry standards.