Creating user-friendly resources for healthy food retail implementation - a case study

To gather staff feedback from small-to-medium Australian community food retail outlets on a Healthy Retail Toolkit and provide recommendations to inform future resource development to better support retailers to implement healthy food retail policies.

Co-design of a Healthy Retail Toolkit (the 'Toolkit') by a working group of food retailers, public health practitioners and researchers. The Toolkit consisted of six 'steps for success' for retailers implementing healthy changes to their food offerings and promotions, alongside troubleshooting tips and case studies of successful adoption of healthy food retail practices in similar food retail outlets.

Interviews and focus groups were conducted with food outlet managers, owners, front-of-house and back-of-house staff within hospitals, tertiary education, and sport and recreation facilities in Victoria, Australia. Interviewees were asked to reflect on the Toolkit usability. A two-phase thematic analysis approach synthesised (i) responses according to the six Toolkit 'steps for success'; and (ii) general recommendations for the development of resources for retailers implementing healthy food and drink initiatives.

Ten retailers participated in interviews or focus groups and provided feedback to improve the format and content of the Toolkit. Retailers valued the step-by-step approach of the 'steps for success'. Highlighting implementation support services was helpful for those retailers who required additional tailored support. The use of links and direction to further support allowed the Toolkit to remain succinct and avoided making implementation appear overwhelming. Participants reflected on the importance of accessible and lay language, as well as using formatting, infographics and diagrams to break up text-heavy sections. They requested increased focus on the 'business case' for change, such as aligning to healthy consumer trends, and further troubleshooting tips and case studies to make the Toolkit brief and practical.

Recommendations to inform future resource development for retailers included (1) describe the 'business case' for retailers to shift to healthier food and drink options; (2) provide step-by-step guidance on implementation stages; (3) address common challenges; (4) provide case studies, practical support, tools and templates; and (5) get feedback on tool content and format from your target audience.