Companies should develop a strategic focus on affordability and accessibility
Overall, a limited number of companies have set out a clear or systematic approach to making healthy products more affordable and available to consumers. Despite the positive progress since 2016, most companies’ efforts remain weak and do not appear to be guided by a unifying strategy (i.e. they take an individual project-based approach rather than a more strategic approach).
Companies should go beyond making ‘a product’ affordable and accessible
Several companies have a commitment in place to make products more affordable and accessible. While some companies explicitly mention that the commitment covers healthy, nutritionally-improved or fortified products, other commitments remain unclear by not specifying whether they explicitly and exclusively cover healthy products. To improve scores, companies are encouraged to be more specific in their commitments and to explicitly focus on healthy products, as defined by the company’s NPS.
Companies should have a strategic focus on accessibility and affordability of healthy products in low-income and rural areas
Overall, companies provided limited evidence of a tailored approach on accessibility and affordability of healthy products in low-income rural and urban areas in developed and developing countries. In their commitments, policies and practices, companies should focus on these consumers and develop solutions to make healthy products accessible and affordable for them.
A multi-stakeholder approach is needed to address accessibility and affordability dilemmas
Research for the 2018 Index indicates two areas with little evidence of activity:
In both situations, the issues and solutions go beyond the direct scope of influence of F&B manufacturers. To find (business) solutions to these complex issues, an approach involving multiple stakeholders such as distributors, retailers, governments and municipalities is needed.
The Access to Nutrition Index rates food and beverage manufacturers´ nutrition-related policies, practices and disclosures worldwide on a recurring basis.
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