Sing Fiona, Mackay Sally, Swinburn Boyd, Garton Kelly
School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
Global Health. 2025 Feb 20;21(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s12992-024-01093-1.
United Nations bodies call for legal responses to restrict children's exposure to unhealthy food marketing; however, few governments have introduced legislative controls. This research studies the underlying political economy influences that impacted the introduction of legal responses. We used a multiple case study methodology to examine the political economy influences on the policy process in three contexts (Chile, Canada and the UK). Data from documentary evidence and 21 semi-structured key informant interviews were analysed using a political economy framework studying the institutions, interests, ideas and the associated power dynamics that shaped the policy process. The prevailing neoliberal ideologies and overarching institutional paradigm, in which all actors were operating, meant any form of government intervention had to be justified, evidence-based and no more intrusive on commercial enterprise and public life than necessary. The neoliberal paradigm permeated each of the political economy elements (institutions, ideas and interests). In addition, its influence was observed in all stages of the policy process, from introduction through to adoption of the resulting law or regulation, and experienced in both the executive and legislative branches of government. A paradigm shift away from the protection and primacy of commercial enterprise and limited government interference would reduce the barriers governments face when introducing legislative responses to unhealthy food marketing. These dynamics may be tempered if institutional, actor and discursive power is harnessed in support of the legitimate public health measure, which would involve a strong mandate for the ministry responsible and a dedicated and influential policy entrepreneur. - Provides an insight into how three different governments legislated unhealthy food marketing. - Provides lessons for other governments about what challenges those countries faced and how they overcame them. - Considers the political reality behind policy making that impacts on how evidence-based policy making occurs.
联合国机构呼吁采取法律措施，限制儿童接触不健康食品营销；然而，很少有政府出台立法管制措施。本研究探讨了影响法律措施出台的潜在政治经济因素。我们采用多案例研究方法，考察了智利、加拿大和英国这三种背景下政治经济因素对政策制定过程的影响。运用政治经济框架，对文献证据和21次半结构化关键 informant 访谈的数据进行了分析，该框架研究了塑造政策过程的制度、利益、观念及相关权力动态。所有行为体所处的主流新自由主义意识形态和总体制度范式意味着，任何形式的政府干预都必须有正当理由、基于证据，且对商业企业和公共生活的干预程度不得超过必要限度。新自由主义范式渗透到了政治经济的各个要素（制度、观念和利益）之中。此外，在政策制定过程的各个阶段，从提议到最终法律或法规的通过，都能观察到其影响，且在政府的行政和立法部门都有体现。从保护商业企业并将其置于首位、限制政府干预的范式转变，将减少政府在出台针对不健康食品营销的立法措施时所面临的障碍。如果利用制度、行为体和话语权力来支持合理的公共卫生措施，这些动态可能会得到缓和，这将需要赋予负责部门强有力的授权，并要有一位专注且有影响力的政策倡导者。- 深入了解三个不同国家的政府如何针对不健康食品营销进行立法。- 为其他国家政府提供经验教训，了解这些国家面临的挑战以及如何克服这些挑战。- 思考政策制定背后的政治现实对循证政策制定的影响。
