Alyssa J Moran1, Neha Khandpur2, Michele Polacsek3, Anne N Thorndike4, Rebecca L Franckle5, Rebecca Boulos6, Sally Sampson7, Julie C Greene8, Dan G Blue8, Eric B Rimm9. 1. Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA. Electronic address: amoran10@jhu.edu. 2. Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA; Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. 3. Westbrook College of Health Professions, University of New England, Portland, ME. 4. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; Division of General Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. 5. Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA; School of Health Sciences, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA. 6. Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME. 7. ChopChop Family, Belmont, MA. 8. Hannaford Supermarkets, Scarborough, ME. 9. Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a supermarket meal bundling and electronic reminder intervention on food choices of families with children. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental (meal bundling) and randomized, controlled trial (electronic reminders). SETTING: Large supermarket in Maine during 40-week baseline and 16-week intervention periods in 2015-2016. PARTICIPANTS: English-speaking adults living with at least 1 child aged ≤18 years (n = 300) with 25% of households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. INTERVENTION(S): (1) Four bundles of ingredients needed to make 8 low-cost healthful meals were promoted in the store through displays and point-of-purchase messaging for 4 weeks each; (2) weekly electronic messages based on principles from behavioral psychology were sent to study participants reminding them to look for meal bundles in the store. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Difference in storewide sales and individual purchases of bundled items (measured using supermarket loyalty card data) from baseline to intervention in intervention vs control groups. ANALYSIS: Regressions controlling for total food spending and accounting for repeated measures. RESULTS: There were no differences in spending on bundled items resulting from the meal bundling intervention or the electronic reminders. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Overall, there was little impact of healthful meal bundles and electronic reminders on storewide sales or purchases of promoted items in a large supermarket.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a supermarket meal bundling and electronic reminder intervention on food choices of families with children. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental (meal bundling) and randomized, controlled trial (electronic reminders). SETTING: Large supermarket in Maine during 40-week baseline and 16-week intervention periods in 2015-2016. PARTICIPANTS: English-speaking adults living with at least 1 child aged ≤18 years (n = 300) with 25% of households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. INTERVENTION(S): (1) Four bundles of ingredients needed to make 8 low-cost healthful meals were promoted in the store through displays and point-of-purchase messaging for 4 weeks each; (2) weekly electronic messages based on principles from behavioral psychology were sent to study participants reminding them to look for meal bundles in the store. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Difference in storewide sales and individual purchases of bundled items (measured using supermarket loyalty card data) from baseline to intervention in intervention vs control groups. ANALYSIS: Regressions controlling for total food spending and accounting for repeated measures. RESULTS: There were no differences in spending on bundled items resulting from the meal bundling intervention or the electronic reminders. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Overall, there was little impact of healthful meal bundles and electronic reminders on storewide sales or purchases of promoted items in a large supermarket.
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