Substituting sugar confectionery with fruit and healthy snacks at checkout – a win-win strategy for consumers and food stores? a study on consumer attitudes and sales effects of a healthy supermarket intervention

Abstract

BackgroundThe widespread use of in-store marketing strategies to induce unhealthy impulsive purchases has implications for shopping experience, food choice and possibly adverse health outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine consumer attitudes and evaluate sales effects of a healthy checkout supermarket intervention. The study was part of Project Sundhed & Lokalsamfund (Project SoL); a Danish participatory community-based health promotion intervention.MethodsConsumer attitudes towards unhealthy snack exposure in supermarkets were examined in a qualitative pre-intervention study (29 short in-store interviews, 11 semi-structured interviews and three focus group interviews). Findings were presented to food retailers and informed the decision to test a healthy checkout intervention. Sugar confectionery at one checkout counter was substituted with fruit and healthy snacking items in four stores for 4 weeks. The intervention was evaluated by 48 short exit interviews on consumer perceptions of the intervention and by linear mixed model analyses of supermarket sales data from the intervention area and a matched control area.ResultsThe qualitative pre-intervention study identified consumer concern and annoyance with placement and promotion of unhealthy snacks in local stores. Store managers were willing to respond to local consumer concern and a healthy checkout intervention was therefore implemented. Exit interviews found positive attitudes towards the intervention, while intervention awareness was modest. Most participants believed that the intervention could help other consumers make healthier choices, while fewer expected to be influenced by the intervention themselves. Statistical analyses suggested an intervention effect on sales of carrot snack packs when compared with sales before the intervention in Bornholm control stores (P < 0.05). No significant intervention effect on sales of other intervention items or sugar confectionery was found.ConclusionsThe present study finds that the healthy checkout intervention was positively evaluated by consumers and provided a ‘responsible’ branding opportunity for supermarkets, thus representing a win-win strategy for store managers and consumers in the short term. However, the intervention was too modest to draw conclusions on long-term sales and health implications of this initiative. More research is needed to assess whether retailer-researcher collaborations on health promotion can be a winning strategy for public health.

Consumers’ Purchasing Decisions for Confectionery and Savoury Snack Food Items on and off Promotion

“…Not only does the placement of less healthy products at the checkout promote healthy eating, it also appeals to consumers as Winkler et al (2016) identified consumer concern and annoyance with placement and promotion of less healthy snacks, after an intervention to remove the less healthy snacks received positive feedback from consumers.…”

“…Black et al, (2014) suggest that making instore environments more healthful, such as selling quality healthy food and placing them in prominent locations to prompt purchasing, could promote healthful food purchases. Equally, a study by Winkler et al (2016) concluded how making checkouts healthier appeals to consumers.…”

Investigating the impact of GIS modelled daily exposures to the retail food environment on routinely linked child health data

“…The results reported here suggest that policies and interventions may need to turn their focus to these outlet-types in specifically targeting childhood obesity and healthy attitudes to food. Interventions and policies akin to the "Healthier checkout lanes" that have been implemented in supermarkets [380][381][382] could be explored in smaller stores where children frequent on their way to and from school.…”

The Effects Of Highlighting Healthy Options On Consumer Food Choices In A Food Bank Setting

“…This study shows that consumers may still pick healthier options, even when unhealthy choices are available (Kleef et al, 2012). Winkler et al (2016) sought to determine customers' feelings and evaluate influence on sales of a healthy checkout supermarket intervention. To begin, researchers conducted a qualitative pre-intervention study to determine consumer attitudes towards unhealthy snack exposure in grocery stores.…”

“…Though results of this research were largely non-significant, the study was very modest in size. Researchers concluded that further research was necessary, and that re-creating this study on a larger scale may produce significant data (Winkler et al, 2016). Wong et al (2015) conducted a study to determine how product placement influences adolescent beverage choices in six small, privately owned retail stores.…”