Abstract
The contributions of processed foods to the overweight and obesity problem in Latin America are well known. Engagement with the private and public sectors on possible solutions requires deeper insights into where and how these products are sold and the related implications for diet quality. This article characterizes the diversity of wheat and maize processed foods (WMPFs) available to consumers in Mexico City. Data were gathered across nine product categories at different points of sale (supermarkets, small grocery stores, convenience stores) in high and low socioeconomic (SE) areas. We assessed WMPFs based on Nutri-Score profile, price, and health and nutrition claims. Roughly 17.4% of the WMPFs were considered healthy, of which 62.2% were pastas and breads. Availability of healthy WMPFs was scarce in most stores, particularly in convenience stores Compared to supermarkets in the low SE area, those in the high SE area exhibited greater variety in access to healthy WMPFs across all product categories. In the low SE area, healthy WMPFs were priced 16–69% lower than unhealthy WMPFs across product categories. The extensive variety of unhealthy WMPFs, the limited stock of healthy WMPFs in most retail outlets, and the confusing health and nutrition claims on packaging make it difficult for urban consumers to find and choose healthy WMPFs.
Highlights
Food processors and food retailers target specific products to specific subgroups of consumers in response to heterogeneity in economic, demographic, and behavioral factors
We described the diversity of access to wheat and maize processed foods (WMPFs) by SE area and the type of store with the percentage of distinct WMPFs that were found in both SE areas, in low SE areas exclusively, or in high SE areas exclusively
The number of healthy WMPFs offered in supermarkets and convenience stores varied greatly between SE areas: 79.3% of unique WMPFs in supermarkets were available exclusively in the high SE area whereas 8.6% were available exclusively in the low SE area
Summary
Food processors and food retailers target specific products to specific subgroups of consumers in response to heterogeneity in economic, demographic, and behavioral factors. In providing food products tailored to meet consumer demands [1–3], segmentation strategies potentially deliver higher sales and profits for processors and retailers. Discussions have explored potential solutions to address the private sector’s targeting of poorer areas with less-healthy and lower-cost foods, including the promotion of farmers’. Limited research has examined how the food industry in developing and emerging economies targets different products to consumers with different economic means and the implications of such targeting for access to healthier foods. The narratives on private sector engagement in food systems vary, from the private sector being the scaler of technological innovations in food production and processing [13] to its being responsible for “food deserts” in lower-income communities [14]
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