As climate change worsens, junk food companies exploit the crisis for profit
As droughts and extreme heat become more common, communities in vulnerable regions are turning to ultraprocessed foods and sugary drinks, with junk food companies capitalizing on the dire situation to boost sales.
Lindsey Smith Taillie writes for The New York Times.
In short:
- Droughts and extreme weather are making fresh food and clean water scarce, driving poor communities to rely on junk food.
- Companies are aggressively marketing sugary drinks and snacks, particularly to children, under the guise of combating malnutrition.
- Governments need to take stronger action to ensure access to healthy food and water to counter these predatory practices.
Key quote:
"There’s no better time to rein the sales of these foods in — the hotter future will only make us further dependent on them."
— Lindsey Smith Taillie, director of the Global Food Research Program
Why this matters:
With fresh produce becoming scarcer and more expensive, junk food companies are seizing the opportunity to push their products aggressively, exacerbating public health crises, particularly in poor and vulnerable communities. Read more: The outsized role processed food plays in our health and environment.
