Do food industry tactics invoke Big Tobacco?

Abstract

The food industry, as a Commercial Determinant of Health, employs strategies that closely parallel those used by the tobacco industry, including manipulative marketing, policy influence, and appeals to self-regulation. Increasingly, these tactics operate across digital platforms, contributing to unhealthy dietary patterns, rising obesity levels, and widespread exposure to foods high in fat, sugar, or salt. Vulnerable groups such as children, adolescents, parents, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities face higher risks owing to limited capacity to recognize or resist persuasive marketing and targeted commercial practices. Despite clear evidence of harm, regulatory progress remains limited, constrained by voluntary industry pledges, neoliberal policy norms, and a lack of digital-specific protections. This commentary argues for stronger, mandatory, World Health Organization-aligned regulatory measures and coordinated prevention strategies across all levels of public health prevention to reduce exposure, protect vulnerable populations, and prioritize public well-being over commercial interests.