Table 2 Key themes describing the power and influence of the UPF industry in the Philippines
Subtheme | Description | Descriptive quote |
|---|---|---|
Corporate objectives | ||
Delay policy implementation | Industry aims to delay policy implementation. | “So that’s really that’s my observation, that it’s not always a proactive support, that there’s always that “we’re not ready, can you delay this?”Interviewee 1 |
Prevent policy implementation | Industry aims to defeat policy implementation. | “The debate happened, and it did not prosper because at an early stage, as we say in policy, people [opposers of the bill] started throwing rocks at the idea. So people [supporters the bill] said this is not going to fly, so let’s just keep it under wraps. For now, let’s focus on something else.”Interviewee 4 |
Weaken proposed policies | Industry aims to weaken proposed policies by changing definitions. | “For example, they were trying to lower thresholds so that certain foods from the industry would be able to be mass marketed.” Interviewee 8 |
Circumvent implemented policies | Industry aims to use its power and influence to circumvent compliance with implemented policies. | “They are unsupportive of the policies because they still sell and promote their products [in schools] even though we have policies in place.” Interviewee 6 |
Amend implemented policies | Industry aims to amend policies that have already been implemented. | “They tried to lobby for the amendment of the Philippines Milk Code, and a proposed bill [which was supported by industry] actually tries to water down the existing milk code.” Interviewee 9 |
Instrumental strategies | ||
Coalition management | Industry actors form coalitions to amplify their messages and increase the combined power that they hold. | “Forming a coalition of, you know, coconut oil supporters and having such power and visibility during policy discussions that really affect how the bill, or the proposed legislation goes.” Interviewee 3 |
Industry engages in marketing, sponsorship and corporate social responsibility activities to sway legislators’ constituents to their side. | “You don’t want to be the bad guy [make unpopular decisions] in policy discussion, and if they [industry] are perceived as the good guy then well good luck to the government for pushing reforms.”Interviewee 3 | |
Industry sponsors government agencies who are subsequently beholden to them. | “You can already see that there’s a conflict of interest when that’s the effect of getting the sponsorship, they [industry] sort of have an obligation for them to pacify them… allowing them to have a broader say in the development of the [food and nutrition] standards.”Interviewee 8 | |
Industry conducts research into key stakeholders to assist with directly engaging with them. | “They do have committees or even like task groups assigned to fill up dossiers. Look at the backgrounds of people, who are in Congress, in the upper and lower houses… And then they deploy interventions that may be appropriate [based on the information sourced in the dossiers].”Interviewee 4 | |
Information management | Industry presents evidence, which commonly appears to come from highly reputable sources, that is interpreted to support industry arguments. | “They’re going to use government research data to favour them or so that’s the puts the Research Institute in a quandary because the data is coming from a government agency. And it’s a matter of how they’re interpreting the data to favour them.” Interviewee 1 |
Direct involvement and influence in policy | Industry engages in policy making processes, including consultation hearings and policy workshops. | “When they [the UPF industry] are invited, they will of course send representatives. I’ve never heard of the UPF industry turning down these invitations. They will always show up. These are committee hearings. They will show up. They will have a formal position, papers they will submit.”Interviewee 4 |
Industry promotes preferred alternative policies that are less likely to reduce sales of their products. | If we push for a traffic light front - of-pack labelling scheme, it was very clear during our consultation that they’re pushing for a monochromatic scheme, that we know is not that effective compared to other schemes. Interviewee 3 | |
Industry contacts policymakers directly, commonly by writing directly, invitations to industry - sponsored events, and engaging them in private meetings. | “It may be in the form of a dinner meeting or lunch meeting, that they’re going to sit down with a legislator for them to discuss their agenda.”Interviewee 1 | |
Industry offers government agencies resources that they otherwise lack and implies the offer of gifts and similar incentives to individual policymakers. | “They did not really offer us money or anything that vulgar, but they gave this impression that we can make your life easier, whatever you like, we’re going to give it to you.”Interviewee 2 | |
Legal actions | Industry challenges, or threatens to challenge, policies through legal means. | “The Association of the Beverage, the beverage industry, wrote to the Department of Education saying that the Department of Education does not have the mandate to formulate such a nutrition policy.”Interviewee 8 |
Discursive strategies | ||
Expand policy costs | Proposed policies will have negative impacts on the economy, by harming suppliers of raw ingredients and small businesses, and reducing government revenue. | Especially in the context of the COVID pandemic, economic recovery is very much highlighted in the discussion so any proposal or legislation that will affect businesses, will probably have some negative reception. Interviewee 3 |
Policies will place a greater burden on low - income populations. | “The sweetened beverage industry tried to get the sympathy of the public and the legislators’ support by saying that the taxation of sweetened beverages would result to massive lay - off of workers, hence is anti - poor.”Interviewee 7 | |
Deny policy benefits | Proposed policies will not be effective at improving health. | “I think two years ago, there was really a strong manifestation of the industry through the media expressing… how this legislative proposal will not help the health sector.” Interviewee 3 |
Industry products are not responsible for ill - health. | “Their main argument was that consuming sugar sweetened beverages does not contribute to obesity.” Interviewee 2 | |
Under, rather than overnutrition, is the primary health concern in the Philippines | “Those perceptions of their healthfulness weren’t fully there yet because a large focus in the Philippines was still more on the undernutrition side… That notion was still there, and the companies really capitalized on that.”Interviewee 5 | |
Industry as a policy expert | Industry positions itself as an expert that should contribute to policy discussions | [Industry] are essentially viewed as a technical expert on the food system because they pretty much have the visibility in the food supply chain.Interviewee 3 |
Countering corporate influence | ||
Increased transparency and declarations | Recognition of the importance of increasing transparency and declaration of conflicts of interest regarding industry influence and engagement. | “Working against corruption, working for transparency and disclosure of discussions with any representative of industry, no matter at what at what level, I think is extremely important, and not being intimidated by the arguments provided by industry but ensuring that policy making is in the best interests of the population.”Interviewee 5 |
Role of other actors | Non - government organisations and research - based actors both have a role to play in countering the political influence of the UPF industry. | “I think if it [food and nutrition policy] was supported by [more and stronger] research, the food and beverage industry could not do anything to influence policy making. Interviewee 6 |
Controlled industry engagement | Industry will continue to play a role in influencing nutrition policy in the Philippines and so it is important to identify key policy levers and protect them from industry influence. | “If I was in a position of regulation, I would say that I am clear on some parts like example sodium. The level has to be this level. It’s a non - negotiable, but I’m willing to work with you on the alternatives.”Interviewee 4 |