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Ultra-processed Foods Frequently Promoted in Canada's Grocery Flyers from 2014, 2017, and 2021, with Healthier Cover
Alisson Dykeman1, Gabriella Luongo2, Leia Minaker3
1Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, NS.
Summary
Grocery flyers frequently promote unhealthy, ultra-processed foods, not aligning with Canada
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
- Food Marketing
Background:
- Grocery flyers are a key marketing tool influencing food purchasing decisions.
- Understanding the nutritional quality of advertised foods is crucial for public health initiatives.
- Previous research indicates a potential misalignment between advertised foods and dietary guidelines.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the nutritional quality and level of processing of foods advertised in Canadian grocery flyers.
- To determine if adherence to dietary guidance in flyers varied by year, region, store type, or flyer placement.
- To analyze trends in food promotion over time and their alignment with Canada's Food Guide (CFG).
Main Methods:
- An observational study analyzed 53 digitized weekly flyers from a major Canadian grocer (2014, 2017, 2021).
- 8,790 promoted food and beverage items were manually coded into food groups.
- Nutritional quality was assessed using NOVA (level of processing) and Canada's Food Guide (CFG) criteria; logistic regression examined adherence.
Main Results:
- The number of promoted items per flyer increased significantly from 2014 to 2021.
- Ultra-processed foods were most frequently advertised (58.5% by CFG, 51.2% by NOVA), followed by minimally processed items.
- Flyer placement on the cover page showed higher odds of alignment with CFG, but regional and store type variations were not significant.
Conclusions:
- Promoted foods in Canadian grocery flyers predominantly consist of less healthy, ultra-processed options.
- Despite some variations in placement, overall alignment with dietary guidance remains a concern.
- Findings suggest a need for improved food marketing regulations to support public health nutrition goals.
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