The article analyzes the regulation of food environments in Brazil based on the premise that the guarantee of the right to food and nutrition depends on the capacity of the public power to play certain roles effectively. It also assumes that regulation is the result of public-private disputes, being influenced by lobbying or legal arguments that limit the State’s options. Based on cases involving advertising, nutritional labeling and the tax regime for sugary drinks, the paper seeks to analyze the roles that regulation has played in the field of food environments, especially in ultra-processed foods.