Stefanie Vandevijvere1, Wilma Waterlander2, Janine Molloy2, Helen Nattrass2, Boyd Swinburn2. 1. School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand. s.vandevijvere@auckland.ac.nz. 2. School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: The retail environment is a key setting for potential public health interventions. This study assessed the healthiness of New Zealand supermarket food environments. SUBJECT/ METHODS: A sample of 204 (about 50% of national total) supermarkets across three chains was selected in 2016, half in the most deprived socioeconomic areas. Healthiness indicators related to food availability (ratio of cumulative linear shelf length for healthy versus unhealthy foods), prominence (proportion of 'junk food free' check-outs and end-of-aisle endcaps), and promotion (proportion of 'junk food free' promotions in flyers and in-store) were measured. RESULTS: About 26.5% of supermarkets had at least 20% of check-outs junk-food-free and 17.2% had at least 60% of endcaps junk food free. On average 2/3 of food promotions in-store and ¾ of food promotions in flyers were junk food free. For every 1 m of shelf length for unhealthy foods, there was 42 cm of shelf length for healthy foods on average, with large variations between and within stores. In high and low prominence store areas there was on average 1 m of unhealthy foods for every 2 cm of healthy foods and 1 m of unhealthy foods for every 4 m of healthy foods, respectively. The shelf length ratio was significantly lower in the most compared to the least/medium deprived socioeconomic areas (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The large variations in healthiness indicators within and across chains present a great opportunity for retailers to improve the healthiness of supermarkets towards best practice.
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: The retail environment is a key setting for potential public health interventions. This study assessed the healthiness of New Zealand supermarket food environments. SUBJECT/ METHODS: A sample of 204 (about 50% of national total) supermarkets across three chains was selected in 2016, half in the most deprived socioeconomic areas. Healthiness indicators related to food availability (ratio of cumulative linear shelf length for healthy versus unhealthy foods), prominence (proportion of 'junk food free' check-outs and end-of-aisle endcaps), and promotion (proportion of 'junk food free' promotions in flyers and in-store) were measured. RESULTS: About 26.5% of supermarkets had at least 20% of check-outs junk-food-free and 17.2% had at least 60% of endcaps junk food free. On average 2/3 of food promotions in-store and ¾ of food promotions in flyers were junk food free. For every 1 m of shelf length for unhealthy foods, there was 42 cm of shelf length for healthy foods on average, with large variations between and within stores. In high and low prominence store areas there was on average 1 m of unhealthy foods for every 2 cm of healthy foods and 1 m of unhealthy foods for every 4 m of healthy foods, respectively. The shelf length ratio was significantly lower in the most compared to the least/medium deprived socioeconomic areas (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The large variations in healthiness indicators within and across chains present a great opportunity for retailers to improve the healthiness of supermarkets towards best practice.
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