A Comparative Analysis of Food Retail Policy Landscape in Four Southeast Asian Countries

Authors: Sirinya Phulkerd, Weerapak Samsiripong, Elaine Q. Borazon, Wai Siew Tehc, Adila Fahmida Saptari, Mohd Jamil Sameeha, Azka Aulia Fitri, Suci Trisnasari, Penny Farrell, Anne-Marie Thow, and Bee Koon Poh on behalf of the SEAOFE Study Group.

The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia · November 2025 · Volume 43 · DOI: 10.1016/j.lansea.2025.100691

SHAPE Asia members contributed to a published study in The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia examining how food retail policies across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand shape healthier food environments and nutrition outcomes.

The study highlights that while food retail policies in Southeast Asia are strongly influenced by economic development and food safety priorities, nutrition considerations often remain insufficiently integrated into retail governance. The analysis also underscores the need for stronger inter-sectoral collaboration, monitoring systems, and regional policy coordination to address the double burden of malnutrition across the region.