Abstract
AimsInadequate fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption is an important dietary risk factor for disease internationally. High F&V prices can be a barrier to dietary intake and so to improve understanding of this topic we surveyed prices and potential competition between F&V outlet types.MethodsOver a three week early autumn period in 2013, prices were collected bi-weekly for 18 commonly purchased F&Vs from farmers' markets (FM) selling local produce (n = 3), other F&V markets (OFVM) (n = 5), supermarkets that neighbored markets (n = 8), and more distant supermarkets (n = 8), (in urban Wellington and Christchurch areas of New Zealand). Prices from an online supermarket were also collected.ResultsA total of 3120 prices were collected. Most F&Vs (13/18) were significantly cheaper at OFVMs than supermarkets. Over half of the F&Vs (10/18) were significantly cheaper at nearby compared to distant supermarkets, providing evidence of a moderate ‘halo effect’ in price reductions in supermarkets that neighbored markets. Weekend (vs midweek) prices were also significantly cheaper at nearby (vs distant) supermarkets, supporting evidence for a ‘halo effect’.Ideal weekly ‘food basket’ prices for a two adult, two child family were: OFVMs (NZ$76), online supermarket ($113), nearby supermarkets ($124), distant supermarkets ($127), and FMs ($138). This represents a savings of $49 per week (US$26) by using OFVMs relative to (non-online) supermarkets. Similarly, a shift from non-online supermarkets to the online supermarket would generate a $13 saving.ConclusionsIn these locations general markets appear to be providing some substantially lower prices for fruit and vegetables than supermarkets. They also appear to be depressing prices in neighboring supermarkets. These results, when supplemented by other needed research, may help inform the case for interventions to improve access to fruit and vegetables, particularly for low-income populations.
Highlights
Inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&Vs) is a risk factor for a wide array of diseases, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study
There were only two items which were significantly cheaper at supermarkets than other F&V markets (OFVM)
We observed significantly more of the lowest-priced items labeled as being discounted at supermarkets compared to OFVM/ farmers’ markets (FM), despite finding significantly cheaper items at OFVMs compared to supermarkets (Table 3)
Summary
Inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&Vs) is a risk factor for a wide array of diseases, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study. Research has focused on reducing social, cultural, and environmental barriers which determine food choices [7]. Of these environmental factors, several may hold particular scope in influencing food choices including geographic access to both healthy and unhealthy food – though with inconsistent findings in the literature [5,8,9]. It is thought that cost inhibits healthy eating as energy dense, high fat foods are often cheaper than healthier fresh fruit and vegetable alternatives [7,11]. Evidence suggests that reductions in price barriers influence food choices and that discounts and food subsidies increases healthy food purchasing [14]. Subsidy programs offer the potential to reduce price barriers and increase F&V consumption
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