Dear Editor,

We read with interest the article by Schram et al. ^{(Reference Schram, Garton and Vaillancourt1)} examining the impacts of international trade and investment agreements on food environments using a Canadian case study. The authors make an important contribution by applying the INFORMAS monitoring protocol to assess how trade liberalisation affects tariff structures, food imports and exports, foreign direct investment and policy space for nutrition-related regulation. Their findings show that increased trade openness in Canada coincided with significant changes in food imports, exports and foreign investment flows that may shape the nutritional quality of national food environments^{(Reference Schram, Garton and Vaillancourt1)}. The study also highlights how trade agreements can influence domestic policy space and regulatory processes related to nutrition policies.

While the monitoring framework presented is valuable, its policy relevance may be strengthened by greater attention to governance vulnerabilities in import-dependent developing economies. In many low- and middle-income countries, food environments are shaped not only by trade agreements but also by exposure to global commodity and energy markets. These structural dependencies can alter how trade liberalisation translates into food affordability, dietary patterns and population nutrition outcomes.

The Philippines illustrates this challenge. The country relies heavily on imported crude oil and imported food inputs, both of which influence domestic food production and distribution systems. When geopolitical disruptions affect oil-exporting regions, increases in global energy prices can raise transport, processing and storage costs across food supply chains. These pressures often translate into higher retail food prices and broader food inflation. For households that already allocate a large share of income to food purchases, such price increases can reduce the affordability of diverse and nutritious diets and may encourage shifts toward cheaper and energy-dense foods.

These dynamics raise important governance implications for the monitoring of trade-related food environments. The INFORMAS monitoring framework focuses on trade flows, tariffs, foreign investment and regulatory disputes^{(Reference Schram, Garton and Vaillancourt1)}. However, monitoring approaches may also benefit from indicators that capture structural vulnerabilities such as dependence on imported inputs, exposure to global commodity price volatility and the transmission of energy costs through domestic food supply chains. Empirical studies show that trade liberalisation and global market integration are associated with shifts in food availability and increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, particularly in import-dependent settings^{(Reference Thow2,Reference Thow and Hawkes3)} . These structural factors help explain why similar trade policies generate different nutritional outcomes across countries.

The governance dimension is equally important. In many developing countries, trade policy, energy policy and food policy are managed by separate institutional actors. Yet the effects of global shocks on food affordability often cut across these policy domains. Research on food systems governance indicates that fragmented institutional arrangements can weaken policy coherence and limit effective responses to nutrition challenges linked to globalisation^{(Reference Thow, Neves and Aidoo4)}. Strengthening intersectoral governance mechanisms may therefore be necessary to anticipate and manage the nutrition consequences of global economic disruptions. Policy instruments such as strategic food reserves, supply chain monitoring and targeted social protection measures may help mitigate the effects of food price volatility on vulnerable populations⁽⁵⁾.

Schram et al. ^{(Reference Schram, Garton and Vaillancourt1)} demonstrate the value of systematic monitoring of trade and investment agreements as determinants of food environments. Extending this approach to incorporate governance capacity and structural vulnerability in developing countries may further enhance its relevance for global public health nutrition. Addressing these governance challenges is essential to ensure that international economic integration supports, rather than undermines, equitable access to healthy diets.