Unravelling the persistent problem of unhealthy diets: A system analysis of the Dutch food retail system

Abstract

Unhealthy food retail environments are the result of systemic factors responsible for historical successes in food retail. Through historical literature and interviews with present-day stakeholders in the Dutch food retail system, four important dynamics were identified: The self-reinforcing consumer landscape that prioritises low prices and convenience; the prioritisation of commercial interests in the food retail regime and its perversion of health promotion efforts; the gridlocked food retail market maintained by neoliberal thinking; and the role of major food industry brands in creating consumer demand for and in-store availability of unhealthy products.