Supermarkets as a setting to promote healthy eating: some lessons learned in Victoria

Abstract

Issue addressed Supermarket are a potentiai setting in which to deliver nutrition promotion to the community. A piiot project was able to examine the requirements for health authorities to form partnerships with other sectors and opportunities and limitations of using industry based communication strategies to promote healthy eating messages. Methods Pre‐intervention interviews heiped determine communication strategies. Post‐intervention interviews were used to assess content and appropriateness of nutrition resources, collaboration between key participants, satisfaction with training and barriers/promoters to implementation. An intercept survey with consumes measured the impact of the intervention. Results The survey of more than 1,120 women indicated only limited success. 12% of respondents from the intervention supermarket had watched demonstrations and 20% had noticed the recipe leaffets, with only 5% able to name the pramotion. Supermarket owners, representatives from participang food companies and demonstrators were supportive of the concept and content used in the promotion and qualitative analysis provides indicators for similar promotions. Conclusions Health authorities considering ‘partnerships’ with the food/supermarket industry should recognise the diversity of roles and responsibilities of the organisations invoived in the supply of food through the retail market and allow for long‐term planning when working with them. Head office of the supermarket group has a key co‐ordinating role, however, individual supermarkets will be driven by financial returns. So what? The recognton and trust in the name of health authorities by consumers means that organisations value an association with them.

Investigating key beliefs guiding mothers' dietary decisions for their 2–3 year old

“…Therefore, by providing specific information on a wide variety of healthy foods and their nutritional content may assist mothers in implementing their positive beliefs to improve their child's health. There is evidence to support that providing people with the nutritional content of foods may help to change their attitudes and purchasing behaviour (Lewis et al, 2002). As the majority of mothers already held favourable behavioural beliefs, it is also important to target the unfavourable belief of child resistance (Ajzen, 2011).…”

What is known about consumer nutrition environments in Australia? A scoping review of the literature

“…The studies in this subdomain described a range of outcomes related to other promotions, including use of promotional signage to identify nutritious foods in community stores and communicate a price discount on fruit and vegetables ; level of store support and impact of supermarket health promotion interventions ; and promotion of snack foods outside of stores .…”

“…Few studies have examined use of signage, banners, shelf labelling, samples and taste testing in food retail outlets (83,86,(94)(95)(96). Investigation of the prevalence and impact of these promotions is needed.…”

“…Classification of packaged foods as healthy and unhealthy was reported (28,54,57,67,68 Use of promotional signage to identify nutritious foods (83,94) 2 Prevalence of unhealthy foods in store external displays (86) 1 Impact of supermarket health promotion interventions (95,96,109) 3…”

“…Level of store support for supermarket health promotion interventions (95,96) New Zealand (FSANZ) Nutrient Profiling Scoring criterion, which is used to determine whether a food is suitable to make a health claim (28,68,69); the New South Wales School Canteen criteria, criteria developed for an Australian food company, and the United Kingdom Traffic Light criteria (54); the Health Star Rating front-of-pack labelling device scores (67); and the Australian Dietary Guidelines (57,68). Changes in energy, total fat and protein content of yogurts and dairy desserts were assessed over time (56).…”