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Pricing effects on food choices.

Simone A French¹

¹Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55454-1015, USA. french@epi.umn.edu

The Journal of Nutrition

|March 4, 2003

Summary

Reducing the price of healthy foods significantly increases their purchase in schools and workplaces. This strategy, using economic incentives, is effective for public health initiatives aiming to combat obesity.

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Area of Science:

Public Health
Behavioral Economics
Nutritional Science

Background:

The obesity epidemic is linked to high consumption of energy-dense foods like fats and sugars.
Dietary choices are influenced by cost, taste, convenience, and nutritional value.
Economic theories are increasingly applied to understand and modify dietary behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the effectiveness of price reduction strategies on increasing the purchase of healthier food options.
To assess the impact of reduced pricing on sales of lower-fat snacks and fresh produce in community settings.

Main Methods:

Two community-based intervention studies were conducted in worksites and secondary schools.
Price reductions (10%, 25%, 50%) were applied to lower-fat snacks and fresh produce (fruits, baby carrots).
Sales data were compared between reduced price conditions and usual price conditions.

Main Results:

Price reductions on lower-fat snacks led to significant sales increases (9% to 93%) corresponding to the discount percentage.
A 50% price reduction on fresh fruit and baby carrots resulted in a four-fold and two-fold sales increase, respectively.
The effectiveness of price reductions was consistent across different food types and populations.

Conclusions:

Price reductions are a proven strategy to boost the purchase of healthier foods in accessible environments like schools and workplaces.
Implementing reduced pricing for healthy foods can be a key public health intervention.
Policy initiatives and industry collaborations are recommended to scale this strategy.

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