How Does the Ultra-Processed Food Industry Drive Consumption Through Product Design and Marketing? Mapping a Complex Commercial System According to Expert Mental Models and Evidence Review

Abstract

The corporations that produce and profit from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and the regulatory conditions under which they operate, have been major contributors to the global rise of obesity and noncommunicable diseases. The aim was to map the drivers and feedback systems of the product design and marketing domains of the UPF system and to consider the implications for potential intervention strategies designed to improve population diets. A systems dynamics methodology, underpinned by a narrative literature review, was used to develop causal loop diagrams of the product design and marketing domains, through an iterative refinement process. Both domains contain multiple key drivers, alongside seven reinforcing feedback loops in the product design diagram and five in the marketing diagram. These loops predominantly focused on generating perceived value for the products, driving sales, and collecting data and information to further optimize product design and marketing strategies, serving the purpose of growing profits for UPF corporations. At many points, elements of human physiology and behavior are embedded in these feedback loops and are being manipulated or exploited by UPF corporations for this purpose. The research highlights multiple areas for intervention that, if implemented concurrently, can alter the dynamics of the current system such that power and control shift towards other types of food producers, communities, and citizens rather than UPF corporations.