Food Retail Research Articles

Potential contribution of vaccination uptake to occupational differences in risk of SARS-CoV-2: analysis of the ONS COVID-19 Infection Survey

ObjectivesTo assess variation in vaccination uptake across occupational groups as a potential explanation for variation in risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.DesignWe analysed data from the UK Office of National Statistics COVID-19...

Digital Technology Coverage of China's Fresh Food Retail Industry Chain in the Digital Context

China's fresh food retail industry is quickly evolving digitally as a result of COVID-19. At this time, researchers have discovered challenges in the application and execution of China's fresh food retail industry, but these concerns have not been uniformly studied and explained. This paper discussed the impact of digital technology on the retail industry. This paper concluded that the market share of the farmers’ market took the biggest proportion, and there was a change in the demand of consumers because of COVID-19. The digital platform was growing while there was a lack of digital technology implementation of logistics links and storage. The implementation of digital technology lacked a fully covered digital process which may lead to the absence of transparency and the Instability of sourcing ingredients. The application efficiency was low because of severe challenges in reconstructing the operation and retail concept and the issue of controlling cost. This paper provided suggestions to improve product quality and industrial efficiency.

Organic food consumption in China: food safety concerns, perceptions, and purchase behavior under the moderating role of trust

IntroductionIn tandem with economic growth and enhanced individual income levels, the demand for superior food quality has seen a significant uptick, leading to increased consumer interest in organic food products. However, studies focused on organic food consumption reveal a strikingly low conversion rate of this interest into actual purchasing behavior, particularly in the context of China. It is, therefore, crucial to implement effective strategies to bridge this gap, thereby fostering the growth of China's organic food sector.MethodsThis research introduces the theory of perceived values and innovation resistance into the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theoretical model, exploring the interrelationships among various facets of food safety concerns, perceived values, perceived risks, and organic purchasing behavior. Furthermore, the moderating influence of trust in these relationships is taken into account. Employing structural equation modeling, data from 352 organic food consumers in China's premier cities were analyzed.Results and discussionFindings substantiated the significant interplay between perceived values and risks with food safety concerns. It was also observed that perceived values had a positive and significant impact on purchasing behavior, while perceived risks exerted a negative and significant influence. Importantly, the relationship between nutritional value and risk barrier with purchase behavior was found to be moderated by the level of trust. This study may help organic food producers, retailers, and policymakers bridge the consumers' intention-behavior gap.

Store-specific grocery shopping patterns and their association with objective and perceived retail food environments.

To explore store-specific grocery shopping patterns and assess associations with the objective and perceived retail food environment (RFE). This cross-sectional study used principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis to identify grocery shopping patterns and logistic regression models to assess their associations with the RFE, while adjusting for household characteristics. The Montpellier Metropolitan Area, France. To be eligible for inclusion, participants had to be 18 years of age or older and reside in the Montpellier Metropolitan Area. Analyses were carried out on 415 households. Households of cluster 'Supermarket' (49 % of households) primarily shopped at supermarkets and were less likely to live near a convenience store. Households of cluster 'Diversified' (18 %) shopped mostly at organic stores, at markets, at specialised stores, and from producers and were more likely to have a market in their activity space. Households of cluster 'Discount' (12 %) primarily shopped at discounters and were less likely to perceive a producer in their activity space. Households of cluster 'Convenience' (12 %) mostly shopped online or in convenience stores. Finally, households of cluster 'Specialized' (9 %) had high expenditures in greengrocers and in other specialised food stores and were more likely to live near a specialised food store. This study highlighted the importance of considering both perceived and objective RFE indicators, as well as assessments around the home and in activity space. Understanding how people buy food and interact with their RFE is crucial for policymakers seeking to improve urban food policies.

Australian Stakeholder Perspectives on Healthier Retail Food Environments for Toddlers—The Era of “Band Aids and Small Inroads”

BackgroundA healthy diet in young children is crucial for optimal growth and development. However, many toddlers (1-3 y) consume suboptimal diets, and as a result, are at a high risk of experiencing negative health outcomes. Moreover, minimal progress has been made to improve the healthiness of retail food environments for toddlers to date despite the potential and advocacy for the issue. ObjectivesTo gain insight into stakeholder perceptions and opinions on the healthiness of Australian retail food environments for toddlers, as well as perspectives on the options and barriers to improve their healthiness. MethodsQualitative, online study utilizing semi-structured individual interviews with 27 key stakeholders from food industry, academia, nongovernment organizations, public health, and government in Australia. ResultsMost stakeholders agreed that retail food environments for toddlers were not health promoting. Stakeholders identified that a multifaceted approach including nutrition education and strong government mandated regulation were essential to improve the healthiness of retail food environments for toddlers. Interviews also highlighted the main perceived barriers to progress, and reasons for policy inaction in this area are the food industry and government support. Many stakeholders were concerned that child health is being undermined due to the government favoring business needs over public health. ConclusionsStakeholders in this study overwhelmingly agreed that there is more that can and should be done to create health promoting retail food environments for toddlers in Australia. Stakeholders identified a range of strategies that can be used to improve the healthiness of toddler food environments, but advocacy efforts are being undermined due to government inaction. Stakeholders believed that strong governance is required to create equitable, sustainable healthy retail food environments for young children. Improving the healthiness of retail food environments for young children will not only reduce diet related disease across the lifespan but will help to address financial and societal costs of a poor diet.

Tackling diet inequalities in the UK food system: is food insecurity driving the obesity epidemic? (The FIO Food project).

By 2050 the number of adults living with obesity in the UK will rise with approximately one in four in the adult population. This rising trend is not equitable, with higher prevalence in socially disadvantaged groups. There is an apparent paradox of not being able to provide food for the family to eat, a feature of food insecurity and living with obesity. With the current cost-of-living crisis, there is a challenge to afford both food and fuel bills. Environmentally sustainable and healthy diets are proposed to improve public health and reduce the impact of the food system on the environment, while also improving diet quality. However, healthier foods tend to be nearly three times more expensive than unhealthy foods, and this provides a challenge for citizens on low incomes. In this review, we explore some of the evidence for solutions in the retail food environment to support the UK food system to be safe, nutritious, environmentally friendly and fair for all. We highlight the value of co-production in research, to give value and power to the lived experience to address these inequalities. Our multidisciplinary research approach within the FIO Food research grant will generate new insights into modifiable and potentially impactful changes to the UK food system, specifically for the retail food sector. We believe that the co-creation, design and delivery of research with those living with obesity and food insecurity will help to transform the UK food system for health and the environment in this vulnerable group.

Between farms and forks: Food industry perspectives on the future of EU food labelling

This study assesses how information about the provision of ecosystem services can contribute to an integrative food labelling framework within the European Unions' Farm to Fork Strategy. By applying Q-methodology with 43 food industry experts from four European member states – Germany, Poland, Spain, and Sweden –, we identify common viewpoints among food processors, retailers and labelling organisations. We find a consensus in support of introducing new food labels that would encourage farmers to deliver more ecosystem services, such as increased farm biodiversity. Applying factor analysis and using the qualitative information from the interviews, we derive three distinct prototypes of a future European food label: 1) a producer-driven ecosystem services label, 2) a consumer-oriented information label, and 3) a new EU sustainable food label. These label prototypes are partly country-specific and invoked by multiple stakeholder groups. We conclude that a future European Union food labelling framework must account for all three label prototypes. Policymakers are advised to embrace the diversity of viewpoints of food system actors, as they are the main drivers of the success and failure of labels.

Investigating the factors of blockchain technology influencing food retail supply chain management: a study using TOE framework

In history, the food sector has remained the most vulnerable and is accountable for many crises and food scandals, so to avoid this in the near future, it is essential to have better control over the flow of products and the usage of blockchain technology can achieve this control in the supply chain, which can add trust, transparency, and traceability in the entire system. This paper investigates the factors affecting blockchain adoption in the food retail supply chain and creates awareness among retail managers for its adoption in their operations. A structured literature review is performed to identify the factors and a TOE framework is adopted for the research. Factors of technology, organization and environment are taken as independent variables; the intention to adopt the technology is taken as a mediating variable and blockchain adoption is considered a dependent variable. The findings contributed that TOE factors contribute to blockchain adoption by keeping the intention to adopt the technology as a mediating variable.

Kelp Wanted?! Understanding the Drivers of US Consumers’ Willingness to Buy and Their Willingness to Pay a Price Premium for Sea Vegetables

Lifestyle changes towards sustainable and healthy diets have given rise to superfoods. Sea vegetables, which are otherwise known as edible seaweeds fall in the category of superfoods and are perceived as sustainable and ethical food options. The present study is dedicated to US consumers’ willingness to buy and their willingness to pay a price premium for sea vegetables, providing insights and best-practice recommendations for marketing managers in the US food retail and gastronomy. An online consumer survey was distributed to explore predictors explaining willingness to buy and pay a price premium. Food engagement, food attributes, consumer knowledge, and health importance were the investigated predictors covered in the survey. Descriptive statistics and partial least square structural equation modelling were used to analyze the data. Food engagement and sea vegetable intrinsic and extrinsic attributes were identified as the strongest predictors for both willingness to buy and to pay a price premium. In contrast, health importance only influenced willingness to buy, and consumer knowledge only influenced willingness to pay a price premium. By focusing on the forms of consumer behavior with high commitment and exploring and validating the factors driving these consumers’ behaviors, the study fills an important research gap.

University Food Environment Assessment Methods and Their Implications: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

While the retail food environment has been well studied, research surrounding the university food environment is still emerging. Existing research suggests that university food environments can influence behavioral outcomes such as students' dietary choices, which may be maintained long-term. Despite a growing interest in assessing university food environments, there is no standardized tool for completing this task. How researchers define "healthy" when assessing university food environments needs to be clarified. This paper describes the protocol for systematically reviewing literature involving university food environment assessments. This paper aimed to describe the protocol for a systematic review of the assessments of university food environments. The review will summarize previously used tools or methods and their implications. Electronic databases, including PubMed (NLM), Cochrane Library (Wiley), Web of Science (Clarivate), APA PsycINFO (EBSCO), CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health) Complete (EBSCO), ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health, and Google Scholar were searched for papers published between 2012 and 2022 using combinations of related medical subject headings terms and keywords. The electronic databases were supplemented by reviewing the reference list for all included papers and systematic reviews returned with our search results. The review will include all study types, including randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and other pre-post designs. Papers that examine at least 1 aspect of the university food environment, such as cafeterias, campus convenience stores, and vending machines, were considered for inclusion. A total of 2 reviewers will independently screen titles and abstracts, complete a full-text review, extract data, and perform a quality assessment of included papers, with a third reviewer resolving any conflicts. The Quality Assessment for Diverse Studies (QuADS) tool was used to determine the methodological quality of selected studies. A narrative and tabular summary of the findings were presented. There will not be a meta-analysis due to the methodological heterogeneity of the included papers. The initial queries of 4502 records have been executed, and papers have been screened for inclusion. Data extractions were completed in December 2023. The results of the review were accepted for publication in May 2024. The systematic review generated from this protocol will offer evidence for using different assessment tools to examine the campus food environment. This systematic review will summarize the tools and methods used to assess university food environments where many emerging adults spend a significant part of their young adult lives. The findings will highlight variations in practice and how "healthy" has been defined globally. This review will provide an understanding of this unique organizational food environment with implications for practice and policy. PROSPERO CRD42023398073; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=398073. DERR1-10.2196/54955.

Perceived value in food retail: moderating effect of store format

Objective - This paper’s purpose is to measure the value perceived by food retail consumers under the moderating effect of the store format. Methodology: An online survey was administered to 493 food retail consumers. For the data analysis it was used the quantitative technique of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The analyses were performed with the aid of Minitab software version 12.1 and SmartPLS version 3. Results: The highest explanation degree of the perceived value for the Super / Hypermarkets format was the variables Products and Store Environment, as was the case for Wholesale self-service format. However, it should be noted that the Wholesale self-service format had the lowest structural coefficients for all paths of the model, indicating that the factors have less explanatory power on the perceived value of the consumer compared to the Super/Hypermarkets format. A notable difference between formats was noticed in the factor a Additional services variable, showing its vocation aimed at lower costs. Theoretical/methodological contributions: The investigation developed a quantitative model that demonstrates the adequacy of the model's component variables and that they vary according to the store format. The model developed can also be used as a basis for future research in other countries on food retail and other variations of retail. Relevance/Originality: This study is the first to investigate and measure the value perceived by food retail consumers, also taking into account the store format.

Positive and negative information effects on consumer preferences for lab grown meat

Abstract We examine the effect of information framing on consumers’ preferences for In-vitro (or lab grown) meat (IVM). Our choice experiment uses eight choice tasks that vary across five attributes: production method (IVM or conventional), carbon trust label, organic label, animal welfare label, and price. We investigate four information treatments: (1) neutral (baseline), (2) positive, (3) negative, and (4) both positive and negative combined. Negative information framing leads consumers to require the largest discount to accept IVM, while positive information significantly reduces the discount required. Without positive information, food retailers should expect to offer steep discounts to attract customers to IVM.

Questioning the disposability of plastic packaging: Consumer challenges to fresh food packaging market devices and their afterlives

ABSTRACT Disposable plastic packaging has been conceptualised as a market device that has effects on the functioning of economic markets. It is particularly influential in food retail environments but also has significant environmental consequences. Consumers are aware of these issues, and this paper addresses their questions and objections to the packaging market device for fresh food. Drawing on empirical insights from 28 interviews and 25 completed research diaries conducted as part of the ‘Reducing plastic packaging and food waste through product innovation simulation’ project, these contestations are explored in a number of ways. Firstly, it explores how such objections become possible and the role of unintended consequences of marketing arrangements. Secondly, conflicting ontologies of freshness are examined, as they also create the potential for objections. Thirdly, the paper engages with the role of responsibility, looking at how municipal recycling systems and packaging design enable contestations. Exploring these contestations contributes to an understanding of how we can address non-market effects of market devices, once they have left the physical spaces associated with market activity and moved into other spheres of activity. It also holds several contributions for debates concerning consumer engagement and acceptance of plastic packaging and plastics policy discourses more broadly.

Associations of objective and subjective neighborhood measures with cognitive change in a repeated measurement burst design

AbstractBackgroundPrior studies have reported associations between neighborhood characteristics and late‐life cognition. These studies assessed neighborhood using either objective (e.g., area‐level data from public database) or subjective (individual‐level perception) measures. However, little research has been done to examine effects of objective and subjective measures simultaneously. The present study aims to investigate the independent associations of objective and subjective neighborhood characteristics with cognitive change in older adults.MethodParticipants include 316 individuals in the Einstein Aging Study (mean age = 77; 67% females; 45% non‐Hispanic Whites, 40% non‐Hispanic Blacks). Subjective neighborhood measures included perceived neighborhood safety, aesthetic quality, social cohesion, and availability of healthy foods (range = 1 poor to 5 excellent). Objective neighborhood measures included violent crime, neighborhood deprivation, volunteering rates, percentage of healthy food retailers, and low access to healthy food. Processing speed was assessed using the brief, smartphone‐administered Symbol Search Test, and was completed 6x/day over two weeks; this was repeated annually from 2017 to 2022. To account for non‐linear retest/practice effects, double negative exponential models were used to estimate the relation of neighborhood measures to asymptotic performance (i.e., fastest response time) at baseline and to change in asymptotic performance over time.ResultMost subjective and objective neighborhood measures were significantly correlated with each other (Table 1). In models containing both objective and subjective neighborhood measures, better perceived safety was associated with greater annual improvement in asymptotic performance (40 milliseconds/year for one point increase in safety) while the objective measure of violent crime was not. Perceived availability of healthy foods was independently associated with a faster baseline asymptotic processing speed (estimate = 160 milliseconds) and with greater annual improvement rate (estimate = 54 milliseconds/year) while the objective measures of food environment were not (Table 2).ConclusionSubjective rather than objective neighborhood characteristics were strongly associated with annual rates of change in processing speed over five years in community‐dwelling older adults. Perception of one’s neighborhood may be a more proximal predictor of cognitive health as it may reflect an individual’s lived experiences and determine one’s psychological states and health‐related behaviors. Alternatively, more fine‐grained objective neighborhood measures (e.g., individual‐level) would be necessary to better characterize objective neighborhood environments.

Effects of in-store marketing on food and beverage purchases: a longitudinal study of households with children.

Most food retailers display foods in prominent locations as a marketing strategy (i.e. 'placement promotions'). We examined the extent to which households with children change their food and beverage purchases in response to these promotions. We analysed a novel dataset of all products promoted in two supermarkets from 2016 to 2017, including promotion dates and locations (e.g. aisle endcaps and front registers). We linked promotions to all purchases from the supermarkets from 2016 to 2017 by a cohort of households with children. We calculated the number of weekly promotions in each of thirteen food and beverage groups (e.g. bread; candy) and used fixed effects regressions to estimate associations between number of weekly promotions and households' weekly food purchases, overall and by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation. Two large supermarkets in Maine, USA. Eight hundred and twenty-one households with children. Most promotions (74 %) were for less healthy foods. The most promoted food groups were sweet and salty snacks (mean = 131·0 promotions/week), baked goods (mean = 68·2) and sugar-sweetened beverages (mean = 41·6). Households generally did not change their food group purchases during weeks when they were exposed to more promotions for those groups, except that a 1-sd increase in endcap candy promotions (about 1 promotion/week) was associated with $0·19/week (about 14·5 %) increase in candy purchases among SNAP nonparticipants (adjusted P < 0·001). In-store placement promotions for food groups were generally not associated with purchases of promoted food groups, perhaps because exposure to unhealthy food marketing was consistently high. Substantial changes to in-store food marketing may be needed to promote healthier purchases.

Availability and price of fruits and vegetables in the surroundings of food and nutrition public establishments.

Inequalities of access to healthy food reinforce the need to strengthen public policies on Food and Nutritional Security. In this context, Food and Nutrition Public Establishments, which are public spaces for distribution and commercialization of healthy foods, stand out. However, in middle-income countries there is little monitoring of the impacts of public policies on food environments, which are fundamental for strengthening these actions. Thus, the purpose of the study was to evaluate the availability and price of fruits and vegetables in areas with and without Food and Nutrition Public Establishments. A cross-sectional study carried out in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Audits were conducted in the retail food environment of a representative sample of Food and Nutrition Public Establishments (n = 10) and corresponding census sectors, without Food and Nutrition Public Establishments (n = 10). Information was collected on the availability and price of the most consumed fruits and vegetables in Belo Horizonte. The food retailers were grouped into fresh food retailers and mixed food retailers. The Chi-Square test was used to compare the availability of fruits and vegetables between areas. The Mann Whitney test was used to compare the prices of fruit and vegetables and the price differences between fresh food retailers and mixed food retailers between areas. 148 food retailers were audited, including 17 Food and Nutrition Public Establishments. In fresh food retailers, the availability of vegetables was higher in areas with Food and Nutrition Public Establishments (p = 0.024). In mixed food retailers there was low availability of fruit and vegetables in both areas (34.0% vs. 26.2%; p>0.05). The price difference between fresh food retailers and mixed food retailers differed significantly between areas (p<0.001). In general, fresh food retailers had lower prices than mixed food retailers only in areas with Food and Nutrition Public Establishments. The presence of Food and Nutrition Public Establishments was associated with the availability of vegetables, and with lower prices in fresh food retailers compared with mixed food retailers. Monitoring and understanding the impacts of public policies on the food environment are essential to register trends and provide relevant information to civil society and government authorities.

Eating Out in Contemporary Hanoi: Middle-Class Food Practices, Capitalist Transformations, and the Late-Socialist Good Life

Vietnam's embrace of the Leninist-capitalist hybrid known as the socialist market economy has led to a number of food transformations. These include increasing food imports, heavy investment by powerful domestic and foreign actors in food production and retailing, and the scaling up of domestic agriculture, as well as a range of problematic dietary changes. In an urban food scene that is tremendously rich in the number and diversity of its food spaces, the prevalence of eating out has increased dramatically. Related to affordability, convenience, time, consumer culture, and the search for the good life, eating out has become embedded in everyday life in late-socialist Hanoi. Ongoing food transformations are seeing many of these food practices move from the streets to air-conditioned restaurants. Based on eating ethnography, this article analyzes the boom in eating out in contemporary Hanoi. Studying the interplay among social practices, urban foodscapes, and political economy, and focusing on the middle-class good life and the structural conditions underpinning it, the article analyzes the visible and invisible geographies of food. The latter includes the increasing dominance of capitalist actors in late-socialist foodscapes as cheap food is enabled by intensified animal slaughter and the deep structural inequalities produced by Vietnam's compressed capitalism.

Data Management for Environmentally Sustainable and Profitable Business: Evidence from the Food Retail Industry

Climatic changes are now a global reality with widespread repercussions for individuals and businesses worldwide. The responsibility to adapt behaviors and protect the environment is shared by all of humanity. Business leaders can play a pivotal role in expediting this transformation by shifting their focus from pure profit-seeking to becoming value-driven entities that actively contribute to societal betterment while championing environmental conservation and sustainable profitability. This transition, however, poses certain challenges, notably the higher costs associated with ecofriendly materials, which can strain a company’s financial equilibrium. Furthermore, a significant number of organizations overlook the untapped potential of their data, a valuable asset that could significantly bolster their competitive position. To address these challenges, this study aims to provide actionable guidance for business leaders by using a notable data framework to reassess their capabilities and dynamically adapt to external environments. Our method relies on data mining algorithms and business intelligence tools to report data. The results pinpoint which products are greatly in demand, so leaders can be assured their investment in redesigning products yields profit, improves product freshness, and eliminates waste. By bridging the gap between profitability and environmental responsibility, this study endeavors to empower businesses to thrive in a sustainable, value-driven future.

Genomic analysis of azithromycin-resistant Salmonella from food animals at slaughter and processing, and retail meats, 2011-2021, United States.

Macrolides of different ring sizes are critically important antimicrobials for human medicine and veterinary medicine, though the widely used 15-membered ring azithromycin in humans is not approved for use in veterinary medicine. We document here the emergence of azithromycin-resistant Salmonella among the NARMS culture collections between 2011 and 2021 in food animals and retail meats, some with co-resistance to ceftriaxone or decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. We also provide insights into the underlying genetic mechanisms and genomic contexts, including the first report of a novel combination of azithromycin resistance determinants and the characterization of multidrug-resistant plasmids. Further, we highlight the emergence of a multidrug-resistant Salmonella Newport clone in food animals (mainly cattle) with both azithromycin resistance and decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. These findings contribute to a better understating of azithromycin resistance mechanisms in Salmonella and warrant further investigations on the drivers behind the emergence of resistant clones.

Which Program Implementation Factors Lead to more Fruit and Vegetable Purchases? An Exploratory Analysis of Nutrition Incentive Programs across the United States

BackgroundNutrition incentive (NI) programs help low-income households better afford fruits and vegetables (FVs) by providing incentives to spend on FVs (e.g., spend $10 to receive an additional $10 for FVs). NI programs are heterogeneous in programmatic implementation and operate in food retail outlets, including brick-and-mortar and farm-direct sites. ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore NI program implementation factors and the amount of incentives redeemed. MethodsA total of 28 NI projects across the United States including 487 brick-and-mortar and 1078 farm-direct sites reported data between 2020 and 2021. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses (outcome: incentives redeemed) were applied. ResultsTraditional brick-and-mortar stores had 0.48 times the incentives redeemed compared with small brick-and-mortar stores. At brick-and-mortar sites, automatic discounts had 3.47 times the incentives redeemed compared with physical discounts; and auxiliary services and marketing led to greater redemption. Farm-direct sites using multilingual and direct promotional marketing had greater incentives redeemed. ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first national study to focus on NI program implementation across sites nationwide. Factors identified can help inform future programming and research.