Evidence Gaps in Assessments of the Healthiness of Online Supermarkets Highlight the Need for New Monitoring Tools: a Systematic Review

Abstract

Purpose of Review Online grocery shopping is increasingly popular, but the extent to which these food environments encourage healthy or unhealthy purchases is unclear. This review identifies studies assessing the healthiness of real-world online supermarkets and frameworks to support future efforts. Recent Findings A total of 18 studies were included and 17 assessed aspects of online supermarkets. Pricing and promotional strategies were commonly applied to unhealthy products, while nutrition labelling may not meet regulated requirements or support consumer decision-making. Few studies investigated the different and specific ways online supermarkets can influence consumers. One framework for comprehensively capturing the healthiness of online supermarkets was identified, particularly highlighting the various ways retailers can tailor the environment to target individuals. Summary Comprehensive assessments of online supermarkets can identify the potential to support or undermine healthy choices and dietary patterns. Common, validated instruments to facilitate consistent analysis and comparison are needed, particularly to investigate the new opportunities the online setting offers to influence consumers.

A Systematic Review of Marketing Practices Used in Online Grocery Shopping: Implications for WIC Online Ordering

“…For example, a study conducted in 2011 Australia found that traffic-light nutrition information, a labeling approach that uses color coded information to display a product’s levels of fat, sugar, and sodium, did not influence online grocery sales [ 64 ]. However, the more recent studies included in the current review that focused on nutrition labeling found that it led to healthier food purchases, which is an especially salient finding given that several recent studies have pointed to online grocery stores’ failures to provide even required nutritional information in the United States [ 8 , 65 , 66 ] and elsewhere [ 67 ]. In one study, a web-browser extension was developed and used to display the Nutri-Score as participants shopped online [ 51 ].…”

“…This project systematically reviewed the scholarly literature to identify studies on how food marketing strategies used in online grocery shopping platforms influence consumer food preferences and food purchases and to consider the implications of the findings from these studies for WIC online ordering. In doing so, our paper contributes to the emerging literature on the characteristics of online shopping environments [ 6 , 8 ] and the marketing practices of online retailers, which include sophisticated algorithms that make product recommendations; promotions that indicate that items are scarce (going fast) or abundant (buy many at a lower price); and advertisements and promotions designed to increase related-item purchases.…”

“…Conversations with project consultants indicated we would find the most relevant studies by limiting the search to studies published after 2014. Moreover, a related study identified only three studies on the impact of online grocery retail on consumer purchases and dietary patterns, all of which were published after 2014 [ 8 ].…”

“…There has also been increased attention to marketing strategies as a tool for “nudging” shoppers towards healthier products, especially shoppers at risk for poorer health [ 7 ]. Whether aimed at boosting sales and increasing market shares or intended to improve diets, these strategies have implications for consumer behavior and ultimately for consumer health and wellbeing; however, a recent review of the healthiness of online supermarkets noted that few studies have investigated the ways that online supermarkets influence the purchasing decisions of customers [ 8 ].…”

Nanomaterials Responsive to Endogenous Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Disease Theranostics

“…There is an urgent need for diagnostic and therapeutic options in this area. [277,278] Endogenous biomarkers, including small molecules, enzymes, cell receptors, and cytokines, are involved in the pathological process of CVD and can be exploited as stimuli to trigger in situ assembly/ disassembly of nanomaterials or as targets to guide the enrichment of nanomaterials in the lesion area. [279][280][281] These endogenous biomarker-responsive nanomaterials not only nicely circumvent the issues with CVD theranostics, such as off-target effects, short blood circulation, low bioavailability, poor solubility, and nonspecific distribution but also improve the targetability of drug delivery, accuracy of detection, imaging diagnostic capability and therapeutic outcome.…”