How do vested interests maintain outdated policy? The case of food marketing to New Zealand children

This paper examines the role of powerful vested interest groups in determining public health nutrition policy. With childhood obesity now being classified as an epidemic, television food advertising to children is a relevant case study, which is reported on in this article. The study consisted of qualitative interviews with members of the New Zealand food advertising policy community and documentary analysis of relevant submissions to two government inquiries, websites and policy documents related to food advertising to children. The findings categorised the positions of three identifiable interest groups. Each group's use of evidence and other influence strategies was examined in relation to their impact on government policy. We found the food industry to be tightly coordinated in their influence activities, public relations, partnership agreements and the creation of scientific uncertainty. Non government organisations were less coordinated in their advocacy for regulation, relying heavily on the use of scientific evidence to support their position. As a result industry groups dominated the processes to produce a policy outcome where the government was not acting in its own best economic interest, in terms of reducing the longer-term costs of obesity, or that of the public. The evidence from this study supports international recommendations for new approaches to health policymaking. Government needs to lead a collaborative process between vested interest groups to ensure industry groups do not have the upper hand. Such approaches would enable policy with positive public health outcomes.