The objectives of this study were to: (i) Identify initiatives supporting healthy food availability, access and utilisation in the South West region of Western Australia (WA); and (ii) understand how they were functioning as a system to enhance community-level food security (FS). This study used a novel approach; a Systemic Innovation Lab, to interview initiative leaders/stakeholders about their FS initiative. Initiative characteristics measured included those which were associated with creating the effective conditions for FS systems change. Information was uploaded to an innovative online tool, creating a ‘transition card’ (matrix) of initiatives and partnering organisations. Fifty-one participants reported on 52 initiatives. Initiatives were most likely to possess characteristics relating to reinforcing changes towards an enhanced way of working to address FS and creating disruption to the old way of working. The initiative characteristic that initiatives were least likely to possess related to identifying the different causal factors of FS, and working with other stakeholders on specific components of FS. The South West Food Community pilot project used a comprehensive yet defined approach to demonstrate the value of a place-based, co-design project. Participants and stakeholders could strengthen specific initiative characteristics to facilitate enhanced community-level FS.
Of the 293 advertisements recorded over the four audits, 31% featured unhealthy products, 3% moderate, and <1% healthy. Only two of the 293 advertisements were classified as being healthy. Seasonal variation in the volume of unhealthy advertisements was not identified. SO WHAT?: Western Australian school students are regularly exposed to unhealthy bus shelter advertisements. Stricter regulation of outdoor advertising is needed to ensure that young people are protected from the influence of unhealthy industries.
This study identified that unhealthy sponsorship is prevalent on AFL club websites and playing uniforms. Implications for public health: Sponsorship offers companies an avenue to expose children and young people to their brand, encouraging a connection with that brand. The AFL could reinforce healthy lifestyle choices by shifting the focus away from the visual presence of unhealthy sponsorship, while taking steps to ensure that clubs remain commercially viable. Policy makers are encouraged to consider innovative health promotion strategies and work with sporting clubs and codes to ensure healthy messages are prominent.
Objective: To identify the brands owned by each of the 10 top grossing food companies operating in Australia and visually represent them on an infographic.
Methods: Desktop research was conducted to determine Australia's 10 largest food companies based on revenue. Brand ownership for each of the companies was traced through financial records and company publications. This information was then visually documented in the form of an infographic ‘food web’ to clearly illustrate company and brand ownership.
Results: Fonterra, Coca‐Cola Amatil, Lion, Murray Goulburn, George Weston Foods, Wilmar, Nestle, Mondelez, Parmalat and Asahi were determined as the top 10 food companies operating in Australia. The food web illustrated that brand ownership ranged from 75 (Nestle) to four (Fonterra) brands per company.
Conclusions: The food web illustrates the dominance of each of these major companies within Australia and shows how their diverse brand ownership limits consumer choice.
Implications for public health: This study expands on current knowledge and further defines the breadth of market influence that the top 10 food companies have within the Australian food context, and how they use their brand power to create an illusion of choice for consumers. The food web will assist in promoting transparency of brand ownership in the Australian food market, therefore allowing consumers to make an informed decision about the food they purchase, and will allow community and other organisations to make an informed decision about which companies they form partnerships with.
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