[Organization and Corporate Political Activities of Associations Opposed to Food Advertising Regulation in Brazil].

Abstract

Corporate Political Activities (CPA) in the commercial private sector present significant obstacles to developing regulatory policies concerning food. This study investigates how associations within the food and communication sectors, which have historically opposed food advertising regulation in Brazil, are organized and what specific CPA they engage in regarding this issue. To achieve this, the websites of these associations were examined, and information on affiliated companies was collected. The evaluation of CPA was conducted using a framework that differentiates between instrumental and discursive activities. The sample comprised seven associations, representing a total of 413 companies, 183 of which belong to the food sector. A total of 179 instances of CPA were identified, including 73 instrumental strategies and 106 discursive strategies. The most frequently employed instrumental strategies included information management and coalition management, while the discursive strategies focused on narratives related to diet and public health concerns. The findings indicate that commercial private sector associations, with a history of opposing food advertising regulation, constitute an organized network that employs CPA to impede regulatory initiatives in Brazil.