How the Tobacco Industry Drove the Rise of Ultra-Processed Foods
This article explores the historical connection between the tobacco industry and the rise of ultra-processed foods in the United States. It highlights how tobacco companies applied aggressive marketing strategies to food brands, contributing to a significant increase in obesity and chronic diseases.
Why it matters
Understanding the corporate origins of modern dietary habits provides critical context for public health policy and the ongoing obesity epidemic.
In 1963, a U.S. tobacco company bought Hawaiian Punch. It marked the beginning of the tobacco industry's entry into the food sector and led to an explosion of hyperpalatable, chemically-engineered foods — and a dramatic rise in obesity.
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In the early 1960s, R.J. Reynolds, one of the largest and most profitable tobacco companies in the U.S. at the time, wanted to diversify its business. Its marketing strategies had been highly successful in selling its top brands, like Camel, Winston and Salem cigarettes, and executives thought, Why not apply the same strategies to, say, the food industry?
So in 1963, R.J. Reynolds acquired Hawaiian Punch. It marked the beginning of the tobacco industry’s entry into the food sector.
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