How do we use sticks and carrots to get more carrot sticks?
In this section, we have pulled together resources that explore how regulations, taxation and incentives can be used to nudge stakeholders in the food system to do more for nutrition through public private engagement (PPE).
One of the best ways for governments to influence the behaviour of both businesses and consumers is to set clear priorities – often people simply do not know what to do when it comes to nutrition. This can be particularly challenging for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who are trying to navigate the intricacies of legislation, regulations and taxation when it comes to producing, processing and marketing their products.
Governments should take the lead in establishing and enforcing standards for nutrition, using the best available evidence to inform strategies and policies. While all stakeholders – including businesses - should have the opportunity to participate in a transparent policy process, conflicts of interest from the food industry as well as other actors should not influence standard-setting. Academia and civil society can play an important role in holding governments accountable for public and consumer interests.
So what are the tools, levers and drivers that can help make it easy for everyone to contribute to making safe and nutritious foods accessible, affordable and desirable?
Top resources we think matter
Case studies and tools:
The "
Reports and discussion papers:
This report, compiled for the European Competitiveness and Sustainable Industrial Policy Consortium, gives a detailed look into the impact of food
Advocacy and policy:
Policy brief by the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition looking at the evidence for gov
Peer review:
This article in the British Medical Journal reviews strategies that governments can use to improve nutrition and health.
Case studies and tools:
Strengthening governance for better nutrition in cities: A framework for assessment and action
Reports and discussion papers:
On development, poverty, and autonomy: A case study of a World Bank public private partnership in Latin America
Case studies and tools:
Building public-private partnerships in food and nutrition: Workshop summary
Blogs/news/opinion:
Four accessible ways companies can drive social change
Audio/videos/podcasts:
Can private finance ever work for the world's poorest?
Blogs/news/opinion:
Reward food companies for improving nutrition
Blogs/news/opinion:
These 25 companies are more powerful than many countries
Blogs/news/opinion:
How should multinational companies be taxed?
Reports and discussion papers:
Food taxes and their impact on competitiveness
Blogs/news/opinion:
Sweetening the sugar tax
Advocacy and policy:
How tax havens plunder the poor
Blogs/news/opinion:
How can we tax the footloose multinationals?
Reports and discussion papers:
The roles of public and private development finance
Reports and discussion papers:
Fuelling the business of nutrition
Advocacy and policy:
Improving nutrition through enhanced food environments
Reports and discussion papers:
Corporate philanthropy, political influence, and health policy
Initiatives
The Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition
Through the power of its membership, GloPan convenes high-level meetings and dialogues around to help address barriers of change in low and middle income countries. These meetings are often framed around policy recommendations from its evidence-based briefs and reports, and tailored to specific country-level challenges. Importantly, GloPan sees the government as ultimately responsible for ensuring high-quality diets, but encourages policymakers to use a coordinated, multisectoral approach – and always cautions against underestimating the power and potential of the private sector to do good for nutrition.
The Food Foundation
The Food Foundation is an independent think tank that tackles the growing challenges facing the UK’s food system in the interests of the UK public. We provide clear analysis of the problems caused by the food system and the role of policy and practice in addressing these. We develop and articulate food policies that support and guide the UK public to make choices that improve their health and well-being and we inform and generate demand for new and better public and private sector policy and practice.
Looking for other nutrition champions?
Explore the organisations, platforms and initiatives to see who else is working to promote better nutrition through public private engagement.