Profiling ultra-processed foods in Thailand: sales trend, consumer expenditure and nutritional quality
Issued Date
2023-12-01
Resource Type
eISSN
17448603
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85169399229
Pubmed ID
37653543
Journal Title
Globalization and Health
Volume
19
Issue
1
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Globalization and Health Vol.19 No.1 (2023)
Suggested Citation
Phulkerd S., Thongcharoenchupong N., Dickie S., Machado P., Woods J., Mo-Suwan L., Prasertsom P., Ungchusak C., Khitdee C., Lawrence M. Profiling ultra-processed foods in Thailand: sales trend, consumer expenditure and nutritional quality. Globalization and Health Vol.19 No.1 (2023). doi:10.1186/s12992-023-00966-1 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/89604
Title
Profiling ultra-processed foods in Thailand: sales trend, consumer expenditure and nutritional quality
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Background: Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are associated with adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to analyse the national trends in retail sales, consumer expenditure and nutritional quality of UPFs in Thailand. Methods: The study used data from the Euromonitor Passport database for analysis of retail sales and consumer expenditure, and from the Mintel Global New Products Database for nutritional analysis using the WHO Southeast Asian Region nutrient profile model. Results: The study found the highest per capita sales volume and value of UPFs in 2021 were sauces, dressings & condiments (8.4 kg/capita) and carbonated soft drinks (27.1 L/capita), respectively. However, functional & flavoured water, ready-made meals and baked goods had the highest observed (2012–2021) and expected (2021–2026) sales growth. Supermarkets were responsible for most of the UPF sales since 2012, but convenience stores had larger growth in retail values. Growth in consumer expenditure per capita on UPFs from 2012 to 2020, ranged between 12.7% and 34%, and till 2026 is forecast to grow between 26% and 30%. More than half of UPFs exceeded at least one nutrient cutoff, 59.3% for total fats, 24.8% for saturated fats, 68.2% for total sugars and 94.3% for sodium. Conclusions: The findings suggest a need for regulatory and non-regulatory measures such as UPF taxation and marketing restrictions, and market incentives for producing non-UPFs. A system for regularly monitoring and evaluating healthiness (both nutritional and processing aspects) of food products, especially UPFs, is required.