The Nature and Extent of Online Marketing by Big Food and Big Alcohol During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia: Content Analysis Study

Abstract

Background Emerging evidence demonstrates that obesity is associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Excessive alcohol consumption and “comfort eating” as coping mechanisms during times of high stress have been shown to further exacerbate mental and physical ill-health. Global examples suggest that unhealthy food and alcohol brands and companies are using the COVID-19 pandemic to further market their products. However, there has been no systematic, in-depth analysis of how “Big Food” and “Big Alcohol” are capitalizing on the COVID-19 pandemic to market their products and brands. Objective We aimed to quantify the extent and nature of online marketing by alcohol and unhealthy food and beverage companies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Methods We conducted a content analysis of all COVID-19-related social media posts made by leading alcohol and unhealthy food and beverage brands (n=42) and their parent companies (n=12) over a 4-month period (February to May 2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Results Nearly 80% of included brands and all parent companies posted content related to COVID-19 during the 4-month period. Quick service restaurants (QSRs), food and alcohol delivery companies, alcohol brands, and bottle shops were the most active in posting COVID-19-related content. The most common themes for COVID-19-related marketing were isolation activities and community support. Promotion of hygiene and home delivery was also common, particularly for QSRs and alcohol and food delivery companies. Parent companies were more likely to post about corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, such as donations of money and products, and to offer health advice. Conclusions This is the first study to show that Big Food and Big Alcohol are incessantly marketing their products and brands on social media platforms using themes related to COVID-19, such as isolation activities and community support. Parent companies are frequently posting about CSR initiatives, such as donations of money and products, thereby creating a fertile environment to loosen current regulation or resist further industry regulation. “COVID-washing” by large alcohol brands, food and beverage brands, and their parent companies is both common and concerning. The need for comprehensive regulations to restrict unhealthy food and alcohol marketing, as recommended by the World Health Organization, is particularly acute in the COVID-19 context and is urgently required to “build back better” in a post-COVID-19 world.

The Timing, Nature and Extent of Social Media Marketing by Unhealthy Food and Drinks Brands During the COVID-19 Pandemic in New Zealand

“…The COVID-related themes commonly used by unhealthy food and drink brands in social media posts were analogous to those found in studies globally (17,31), with "community support, " positioning themselves as "in this together" with consumers, and "applauding health staff and front-line workers" common narratives. A similar study in Australia found the same level of COVID-washing in social media posts, whereby one-third of all posts by the "Big Food and Drinks" brands during the same 4-month period were COVID-19 related, and fast-food companies were also the largest proponents of COVID-washing (31). The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for food and beverage companies to market themselves as caring and contributing members of a society during a time of unprecedented crisis, and thereby increase the desirability of their brands and the products they sell.…”

“…This is arguably when many viewers would be most vulnerable to "comfort" or binge eating due to the jubilation of being out of lockdown and relief at the end of a prolonged period of heightened stress caused by the pandemic (36)(37)(38). The COVID-related themes commonly used by unhealthy food and drink brands in social media posts were analogous to those found in studies globally (17,31), with "community support, " positioning themselves as "in this together" with consumers, and "applauding health staff and front-line workers" common narratives. A similar study in Australia found the same level of COVID-washing in social media posts, whereby one-third of all posts by the "Big Food and Drinks" brands during the same 4-month period were COVID-19 related, and fast-food companies were also the largest proponents of COVID-washing (31).…”

“…Brands that did not sell predominantly energy-dense, nutrient-poor food and beverages were excluded from analyses and replaced by the next brand with the largest sales. Food delivery companies were excluded from this study, because the largest and main food delivery company in New Zealand, UberEats, has the same media platforms as Australia [which were the subject of an Australian study analyzing COVID-19 related posts during the same time period (31)]. Ten of the 20 brands shared the same name and therefore social media platforms as the parent company (e.g., McDonald's and Domino's), but in other cases there were separate social media sites for parent companies that were excluded from this study (e.g., Coca-Cola Amatil NZ which also had a brand page for Coca-cola).…”

“…Content analysis of the COVID-related themes was based on an existing coding framework (31), and posts that may be potential breaches of the Advertising Standards Authority codes were flagged. Two researchers (KL and BK) captured and coded the posts, with every individual post coded by one researcher.…”

“…Measuring and evaluating unhealthy commodities' corporate practices, such as the extent of advertising and corporate social responsibility strategies, can be difficult as there is limited publicly available data, but it is a requirement of the public health community to counter the barriers to monitoring these practices. This study, along with other studies monitoring corporate practices during the COVID-19 pandemic (17,31) provide methods for future studies. The study highlights the important role that public health civil society organizations play in holding the food and beverage industry to account for their role in diet-related diseases (53,54).…”