Food Items Sold In Low-Income Countries Score 1.8 Rating; Lower Than Same Products In High-Income Countries: Report

Do brands sell the same products in different countries? Based on a basic level of thinking, most consumers believe that the same food items are sold by companies, irrespective of the locations. However, a recent report shed light on this misconception and busted this myth. It highlighted how health factors are drastically different while comparing food products sold in low-income and high-income countries.

Food Products Sold In Low-Income Countries Score Lesser

Famous companies such as Nestle, PepsiCo and Unilever hold a huge market in many countries globally, including low-income and high-income ones. However, there is a significant contrast in the quality of these products in different places. According to the Access to Nutrition Initiative’s global index, certain food items of these big brands resulted in a lower score in the Health Star Rating system in low-income countries. On the other hand, the same products sold in high-income nations showed better results.

For this analysis, the Access to Nutrition Initiative analysed the products of around 30 companies. They evaluated the results based on a Health Star Rating system. Out of 5 stars, food items scoring more than 3.5 are deemed healthier. In addition, any item scoring ‘5’ is considered the healthiest option. Shockingly, many products in low-income countries scored a rating of just 1.8, according to a report by NDTV.

The result was 2.3 in several high-income countries. Though these globally renowned companies are dominant in low-income countries, they avoid producing good-quality food for their customers. The difference in health ratings and the practice of selling less healthy food in these countries shed light on the dissimilarities. The new global index report showcased an unknown picture of the food and beverage industry worldwide.

Also read: Men & Women May Need Different Breakfasts For Weight Loss, Says Study; Here’s Why

More About The Report

After 2021, this was the first time when the Access to Nutrition Initiative published a report on famous brands such as Nestle, PepsiCo and Unilever. Also, this report is the first of its kind to identify the contrasts between low-income and high-income countries. One of the primary reasons behind the research was the surge in using packaged food items and their effects to trigger obesity among consumers.

Also read: Cakes, Cookies, Chips & More Ultra-Processed Food Items Are A Leading Cause For Diabetes In India: Study

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