Small Grocery Research Articles

The Influence of Consumer Behavior on Purchasing Decisions

Retail trade is a very strategic trade in Indonesia because it is able to absorb labor after the agricultural sector. There are two types of retail trade, namely traditional retail which is directly represented by small traders or grocery traders in traditional markets and in housing and modern retail which is represented by supermarkets and minimarkets such as Alfamart and Indomaret. This proves that there is quite high economic growth and creates investment, but on the other hand, this can cause lethargy for traditional kiosk traders, even killing their businesses. Yuki Mart is one of the modern shops (minimarkets) in Gunungsitoli City. This research aims to find out how much influence consumer behavior has on purchasing decisions at Yuki Mart, Gunungsitoli City. This research uses quantitative methods. Respondents were 57 consumers who shopped at Yuki Mart, Gunungsitoli City in July, where researchers collected data using a questionnaire, then carried out data validity tests, data reliability tests, classical assumption tests (normality tests), coefficient of determination, and hypothesis tests (t tests). The results of the research show that the influence of consumer behavior on purchasing decisions at Yuki Mart, Gunungsitoli City, is 16.3% and the other 83.7% is influenced by other variables not included in this research.

Associations of Neighborhood Food Retail Environments with Weight Status in a Regional Pediatric Health System.

Background: There have been mixed findings on the relationships between childhood obesity and macroscale retail food environments. The current study investigates associations of the neighborhood retail food environment with changes in children's weight status over 6 years in the Kansas City Metropolitan area. Methods: Anthropometrics and home addresses were collected during routine well-child visits in a large pediatric hospital (n = 4493; >75% were Black or Latinx children). Children had measures collected during two time periods ([Time 1] 2012-2014, [Time 2] 2017-2019). Establishment-level food environment data were used to determine the number of four types of food outlets within a 0.5-mile buffer from the children's residence: supermarkets/large grocery stores, convenience stores/small grocery stores, limited-service restaurants, and full-service restaurants. Children who moved residences between periods were "movers" (n = 1052). Associations of baseline and changes in food environment status with Time 2 weight status were assessed using mixed-effects models. Results: Movers who experienced no change in the number of convenience stores or small grocery stores within a 0.5-mile of their home had increased likelihoods of having overweight/obesity and less favorable BMIz changes, compared with movers who experienced a decrease in convenience stores/small grocery stores within a 0.5-mile distance. No associations were observed among nonmovers. Conclusion: Findings suggest that moving to an area with fewer unhealthy retail food outlets (e.g., convenience stores) is associated with a lower risk of obesity in children. Future research is needed to determine whether larger-scale changes to the retail food environment within a neighborhood can support children's healthy weight.

Migrant traders, social capital, and the politics of local wisdom: A descriptive study of Warung Madura networks in Jakarta, Indonesia

This article examines the factors driving the survival and self-reliance of Madurese migrant traders in Jakarta, Indonesia. Specifically, it aims to refine the long-standing argument that minority migrant groups are forced to adapt, become marginalized, and shed their identities. By combining perspectives on social capital and the politics of local wisdom, this mixed-method study provides an in-depth analysis of how Madurese migrant traders establish and develop networks of small grocery stalls, known as “Warung Madura,” in Jakarta. Our findings reveal that social capital – through strong Madurese ethnic and religious values, norms, networks, and trust among members – is the main driving force behind the success of these traders in Jakarta. Furthermore, strict adherence to local wisdom, specifically Madurese culture and traditional Islamic teachings, significantly contributes to their survival and self-reliance. The results suggest that the survival strategies employed by Madurese migrant traders, based on certain social capital and local wisdom, could serve as a model for the socioeconomic empowerment of urban ethnic migrant groups.

Unveiling the Puzzle of Social Media Adoption Among Small Grocery Retailers

This research is aimed to understand the intentions of small grocery retailers in adopting social media for marketing purposes. The research used an integrated TAM-TOE framework combined with an SOR framework for understanding factors influencing the intention of small grocery retailers to adopt social media. Mixed methods were used for the study. Initially, in-depth interviews were conducted with 55 retailers to develop a grounded model, which was verified through a survey of 874 retailers. Findings suggest that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use were positively related to relative advantage, interaction, organizational competency and complexity, bandwagon effect, and competitive pressure. Retailer age and retail outlet also had moderation effects. Small grocery retailers who understand the relative advantage of social media are more likely to adopt it, influenced by the bandwagon effect. Intense competition is also pushing retailers to adopt social media to avoid losing customers and missing out on potential opportunities.

Exploring the Bookkeeping Practices of Family-owned Business: A Case Study of Carriaga Traders Mart

Carriaga Traders Mart (CTM), an established retail business, has transitioned from a small grocery store to a thriving enterprise, offering a diverse array of affordable products. Their sustained success is attributed to meticulous bookkeeping practices. This study explores how a family-owned business can effectively implement bookkeeping practices to address unique bookkeeping challenges, offering valuable insights from CTM's experiences that benefit entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers. Positive Accounting Theory (PAT) underpinned this investigation, shedding light on how economic, political, market factors, and contracting considerations influence bookkeeping practices, particularly in the context of CTM. The research employed a qualitative case study approach. Through extensive interviews with key financial management personnel, it gained comprehensive insights into the company's bookkeeping and financial practices. Participants included individuals directly involved in CTM's bookkeeping and financial management, meticulously selected based on their expertise in the field. The study's findings underscored CTM's meticulous bookkeeping practices, encompassing technology-driven sales recording, rigorous expense management, and a commitment to financial transparency. The study recommends that entrepreneurs adopt advanced accounting software and technology to enhance efficiency, implement risk mitigation strategies, and prioritize cross-functional personnel training to strengthen their financial practices. For financial managers, the study suggests investing in ongoing training, diversifying financial tools and methods, and emphasizing skill development to navigate the ever-evolving business landscape effectively. In conclusion, this research contributes to the discourse on bookkeeping practices, bridging theoretical insights from PAT with practical knowledge from CTM. It underscores the importance of a versatile and adaptive approach to bookkeeping practices in real-world business settings.

Addressing Food Insecurity Through Community Empowerment in a Staten Island (Richmond County) Neighborhood in New York City.

This study investigated community empowerment as a means of addressing food insecurity amongst underserved neighborhoods by increasing available and affordable food choices through Clementine Collective stands in Staten Island, New York (Richmond County), one of the 5 Boroughs of New York City. Given the growing complexity of food insecurity, inclusive and equitable action must be taken that incorporates the voices, perspectives and needs of those most impacted. Through methods of community engagement and empowerment, the Clementine Collective collaborates with local community residents to introduce sustainable solutions that address food insecurity. A survey (N = 132) was administered to customers of a Clementine Collective stand, located in Staten Island, that assessed customers' food habits and attitudes towards their food environment and solutions. The stand was placed in a local meat market grocery store. Descriptive statistics suggested that residents recognized gaps in their food environment and were empowered to advocate for solutions. Engaging residents from their food environment to advocate for local solutions, such as at community bodegas, or small grocery stores, may be an effective method of addressing food insecurity.

Training for Transformation: Unravelling the Dynamics of Employee Commitment and Citizenship Behaviour in Fiji's Retail Sector

This paper examines the mediating effect of organisational commitment (OC) on the relationship between workplace training opportunities and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) of frontline retail sector employees in Fiji. The authors conducted a cross-sector survey with selected 37 small to medium sized grocery retail outlets executing workplace training strategies at their workplaces. The authors used structural equation modelling to verify the hypotheses. The findings suggest that small and medium-sized (SME) grocery outlets should focus on reinforcing the implementation of workplace training practices, whose synergistic effects may be currently neglected. The results show that constituents of training and development initiatives, especially providing avenues for support for employee training can significantly improve frontline and back-office employee commitment and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) in SME retail companies. Previous studies have primarily examined the relationship between workplace training components, OC and OCB in specific contexts, such as the manufacturing industry or have lumped training and development practices with other human resource management (HRM) practices. The present study aims to fill this gap by exploring the concurrent effects of components of a single HRM practice of workplace training on OC and OCB in the understudied services sector setting in a developing country context.

Exploring the aesthetics of sadness behind the Chinese remake of “Jieyou grocery store”

With the vigorous development of China’s film industry, many films that draw on Japanese works and shooting styles have also begun to appear in the film market. For example, Jieyou grocery store, a small grocery store carrying the troubles and joys of the people around it, is the core content of the material sorrow culture, and this seemingly simple idea has also had a wide and far-reaching impact on Chinese films. This paper mainly explores the influence of the spread and evolution of Japanese mourning culture in China on Chinese film production since the 1990s, when Japanese culture flourished in the mainland. Based on a large number of previous studies on the impact of Japanese mourning culture on Chinese culture and the spread of Japanese mourning culture in China, this paper mainly focuses on the impact of Chinese film production, a branch of Chinese culture.

Formaldehyde Adulteration in Meatball is Still Prevalent, and it is Hard to Identify Only from its Physical Properties

Human carcinogenic compound formaldehyde (alternative name, formalin) adulteration in food is inappropriate and illegal. However, its simple and cheap procedure in giving desired food preservation effect becomes the factor of its prevalence in Indonesian community. Our current study focuses on the usage of formaldehyde in meatball products which are sold in bulk without refrigeration in traditional market set up. Eighty different packages of meatballs were collected following accidental sampling method from small groceries in Tembalang, Semarang, Central Java in 2019. Samples were characterized for their formaldehyde content (AOAC 931.08), total plate count, moisture and organoleptic properties. Formaldehyde was found in 1 sample at the level of 176.2 ppm. Whereby, it was among only 4 % of samples that met the maximum microbial limit of 5 log CFU/g. The particular sample was characterized by pale color, rather slimy surface, chewy and weak meatball aroma. Note, this characteristic is not unique and is shared by several other samples. Therefore, this study brings an update that formaldehyde adulteration is still prevalent. The adulterated product has hardly distinctive sensorial properties which make self-evaluation difficult, thus exposing consumers to potential food safety risks.

Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Food Access in Two Predominantly White Cities: The Case of Lansing, East Lansing, and Surrounding Townships in Michigan

Access to fresh, healthy, affordable foods is a pressing concern in cities worldwide. American cities are no exception. Although many scholars study food access in large cities, small and mid-sized American cities can provide valuable information about inequities in the food system. This paper focuses on two adjoining, racially mixed Mid-Michigan cities—Lansing and East Lansing. It examines the extent to which different food outlets exist in the cities and surrounding townships. It probes the following questions: (1) How are food outlets distributed throughout the cities and suburbs? (2) What is the relationship between neighborhood demographic characteristics and the distribution of food outlet types? We collected data on food outlets from September 2020 to June 2022 using Data Axle as our primary source of information. We used ArcGIS 10.8.1 for the spatial mapping and SPSS 28 for statistical analyses. We conducted regression analyses to identify the difference in the likelihood of finding food retailers in census tracts where 0–20% of the residents were People of Color (VL-POC), 20.01–40% of the inhabitants were People of Color (L-POC), 40.1–60% of the residents were People of Color (H-POC), and more than 60% of residents were People of Color (VH-POC). There were 1647 food outlets in the study area: 579 were in Lansing, 220 were in East Lansing, and the remaining 848 were in the surrounding townships. Restaurants dominated the food landscape, while small groceries and convenience stores were the grocery sector’s most common food outlet types. Supermarkets and large grocery stores comprised only 5.6% of the study area’s food outlets. The study finds a nonlinear relationship between the racial composition of census tracts and the prevalence of food outlets. The VH-POC census tracts had very few food outlets. For instance, the tracts had no supermarkets, mass merchandisers or supercenters, small grocery or convenience stores, pharmacies or drug stores, or farmers’ markets. The findings illustrate the diversity and complexity of the Lansing–East Lansing metropolitan area’s food landscape.

Food Environments Within and Outside of Schools Play a Critical Role in Curtailing the Rise in Obesity among School-Aged Children over Time

BackgroundSound evidence for effective community-based strategies is needed to curtail upward trends in childhood obesity in the United States (US). ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to assess the association between school and community food environments and the prevalence of obesity over time. MethodsData were collected from K–12 schools in 4 low-income New Jersey cities in the US. School-level obesity prevalence, calculated from nurse-measured heights and weights at 4 time points, was used as the outcome variable. Data on the school food environment (SFE) measured the healthfulness of school lunch and competitive food offerings annually. The community food environment (CFE), i.e., the number of different types of food outlets within 400 m of schools, was also captured annually. The count and presence of food outlets likely to be frequented by students were calculated. Exposure to composite environment profiles both within schools and in communities around schools was assessed using latent class analysis. Data from 106 schools were analyzed using multilevel linear regression. ResultsThe prevalence of obesity increased from 25% to 29% over the course of the study. Obesity rates were higher in schools that had nearby access to a greater number of limited-service restaurants and lower in schools with access to small grocery stores and upgraded convenience stores participating in initiatives to improve healthful offerings. Interaction analysis showed that schools that offered unhealthier, competitive foods experienced a faster increase in obesity rates over time. Examining composite food environment exposures, schools with unhealthy SFEs and high-density CFEs experienced a steeper time trend (β = 0.018, P < 0.001) in obesity prevalence compared to schools exposed to healthy SFE and low-density CFEs. ConclusionsFood environments within and outside of schools are associated with differential obesity trajectories over time and can play an important role in curtailing the rising trends in childhood obesity.

Mobile application e-grocery retail adoption challenges and coping strategies: a South African small and medium enterprises’ perspective

AbstractThis paper explores how small and medium-sized e-grocery mobile application retailers evolving within the geographical context of South Africa and operating in the urban, township, and rural areas respond to theoretically and emerging field-based e-business and e-grocery adoption challenges, respectively. The study used semi-structured qualitative interviews to explore the coping strategies of e-grocery mobile application retailers to mitigate technological, organizational, and environmental (TOE) adoption challenges. The significance of small grocery adoption strategies related to context informs e-grocery adoption from the evidence generated in other small e-grocers and for the superior grade of TOE (or theoretical) knowledge sought from the inevitable evolving mobile application and digital grocery markets. The findings reveal that specialist skills and unified team production are crucial conduits for lowering the TOE barriers to e-business and e-grocery adoption. They also reveal the interconnected resource orchestration, shared value, and social inclusion strategies used to mitigate various e-business and e-grocery challenges.

A Descriptive Analysis of Redemption Patterns by Vendor Type Among: WIC Participants in Massachusetts.

The retail environment is an important determinant of food package redemption in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The objectives of this study were to describe where Massachusetts WIC households redeemed their food benefits each month and monthly variations in benefit redemption depending on a household's most frequently used vendor type each month. These were cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of administrative data provided by Massachusetts WIC. Monthly redemption data for 209,973 households shopping at approximately 1,000 unique vendors between January 2015 and August 2019 were analyzed. Outcomes were mean monthly percentage of households that relied on each vendor type when redeeming benefits and mean monthly percent redemption for each benefit category. For each month, households were classified as using 1 of 8 vendor types. The monthly percentage of households redeeming at each vendor type was calculated, as well as the monthly percent redemption for each benefit category by vendor type. The averages of these monthly percentages were computed for 2015 and 2019. Data from months when households did not redeem any benefits were excluded from primary analyses because it was not possible to determine their vendor type for that month. On average across months in 2019, the majority of Massachusetts WIC households (63%) relied on large vendors only (ie, superstores, supermarkets, and large grocery stores) when redeeming benefits, and 5% relied on small grocery or convenience stores only. Between 2015 and 2019, mean monthly reliance on small grocery and convenience stores decreased by 3.1 and 0.7 percentage points, respectively. Compared with other vendor types, households that redeemed benefits at superstores only had, in an average month, lower redemption levels for most benefit categories. For example, in the 2019 mean across months, percent redemption of breakfast cereal was 53% among households redeeming at superstores only compared with 74% for those redeeming at small grocery stores only. By contrast, households that relied on small grocery stores only had, in an average month, lower redemption levels for yogurt and cash value benefit compared with other vendor types; for example, in the 2019 mean across months, percent redemption of yogurt was 34% among households redeeming at small grocery stores only compared with 62% among those redeeming at supermarkets only. Results suggest that retail-based efforts to increase redemption should consider vendor-type reliance. Strategies to increase redemption may be especially important for WIC shoppers relying on superstores.

Food Insecurity Moderates Association Between Perceived Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Access and Vegetable Intake in the Rural Southern US

Objective. Assess associations between perceived fresh fruit and vegetable access and obtaining fresh fruit and vegetables from various food sources with meeting national recommendations for fruit and vegetable intakes and BMI, and whether associations differ by food insecurity. Methods. Secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional survey evaluating a health equity initiative among 1,474 respondents in 6 rural Georgia counties. Logistic regressions assessed associations between perceived fresh fruit and vegetable access and fresh fruit and vegetable sources with meeting/not meeting fruit and vegetable recommendations and BMI, and interactions with food insecurity. Results. Respondents who obtained fresh fruit and vegetables at small local grocery stores, farmer’s markets, and community/home gardens had twice the odds of meeting national vegetable recommendations. Food secure adults with greater perceived fresh fruit and vegetable access had 1.5 times the odds of meeting national vegetable recommendations. Conclusions and Implications. Results highlight perceived access inequities for food insecure adults and the importance of food sources for vegetable consumption in the rural South.

Machine learning approach to uncover customer plastic bag usage patterns in a grocery store

Plastic bags are used by many people because they are inexpensive, lightweight, durable, and waterproof. Plastic bags, on the other hand, do not break down and can pollute the environment if not handled properly. Indonesia produces a lot of plastic waste and is one of the top ten countries that has a problem with plastic waste. In this study, we used three months of data of real transactions from a grocery store. This study shows how the decision tree can identify patterns on plastic bag usage at a small grocery store by using demography and products purchase. The attribute weights showed that in the hometown, the total of several products bought were the factors that affected the use of plastic bags.

Understanding Food Access in Flint: An Analysis of Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities

The primary objective of this study was to describe the food landscape of Flint, Michigan, and the surrounding townships. We investigated the relationship between the location of food outlets and the racial composition of census tracts. We collected data from multiple sources; however, Data Axle, a repository of information on the U.S. and Canadian businesses, was our primary data source. Data were collected and verified between September 2020 and December 2021. The final fact-checking was completed in June 2022. We used ArcGIS 10.8.1 and SPSS Version 28 to map and analyze the data. We conducted negative binomial regression analyses to identify the difference in the likelihood of finding food retailers in census tracts where the percentage of Black residents was low and those where the percentage of Blacks was high. The article examines 1,137 food retailers in the study area: 407 were in Flint, and the remainder in the surrounding townships. Restaurants—especially fast food and take-out establishments—dominated the food environment. In addition, small groceries and convenience stores proliferated in the grocery store category. The racial composition of the census tracts mattered. Census tracts in which more than 40% of the residents are Black have a mean of 7.6 food outlets. In comparison, census tracts in which 40% or less of the residents are Black have a mean of 11.3 food outlets; the difference is significant. Census tracts with a high percentage of Blacks also had significantly fewer restaurants. The results of this study show Flint’s food landscape to be more complex and robust than described in earlier studies. It underscores the point that researchers should not rely solely on documenting the presence of supermarkets or traditional grocery stores when addressing food insecurity and food access. In the case of Flint, such food outlets comprise only 2.2% of the food landscape. Focusing exclusively on these food retailers misses several important types of food venues that residents rely on to secure food. This siloed approach also ignores the resilience and ingenuity of residents to respond to limited access to traditional food retailers.

1926. Risky businesses: Carbon dioxide monitoring to assess ventilation in grocery stores as an indicator of risk for respiratory virus transmission

Abstract Background Poorly ventilated indoor settings pose a risk for transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other respiratory viruses. Transmission often occurs in community, but limited information is available on the quality of ventilation in community settings. Methods We used carbon dioxide measurements to assess adequacy of ventilation in 6 grocery stores, including large warehouse stores, medium-sized stores, and small neighborhood groceries. Carbon dioxide levels were monitored continuously with values recorded once per minute using a handheld device during multiple shopping trips to each store during both busy (defined as long lines at checkout) and non-busy (defined as no lines at checkout) shopping times. Carbon dioxide readings above 800 parts per million (ppm) were considered an indicator of suboptimal ventilation for the number of people present. Results Carbon dioxide levels remained below 800 ppm in all 6 grocery stores during trips at non-busy shopping times, except for transient rises above 800 ppm (peak = 860 ppm) during check out in 2 stores. In 3 of the 6 stores (50%), carbon dioxide levels rose above 800 ppm for prolonged periods during busy shopping times, with considerable variability in levels in different store locations (ie, increased levels in crowded store locations). The figure shows carbon dioxide levels for 1 medium-sized grocery store during typical shopping trips during busy and non-busy shopping periods. Increase in carbon dioxide levels in parts per million (ppm) in a grocery store during busy and non-busy shopping trips. Peak levels of carbon dioxide above 800 ppm (dotted lines) were considered an indicator of suboptimal ventilation for the number of occupants present. Conclusion Ventilation in grocery stores may be sufficient to minimize the risk for airborne transmission of respiratory pathogens during non-busy shopping periods, but in some stores may be sub-optimal in crowded locations during busy shopping times. There is a need for additional studies to assess the quality of ventilation in a wide range of community settings. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

DigiBasket: The Grocery Store Web App

Abstract: Online Grocery Store is an eCommerce based web application for our Web Programming project. We had developed a sample in which user can search and find necessary information about any grocery item, can proceed to checkout to buy products. User can create an account, update personal information, can check its past activities, orders and transaction. A grocery store (AE), grocery shop (BE) or simply grocery is a store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym for supermarket, and is not used to refer to other types of stores that sell groceries. In the UK, shops that sell food are distinguished as grocers or grocery shops (though in everyday use, people usually use either the term "supermarket" or a "corner shop" or "convenience shop"). Larger types of stores that sell groceries, such as supermarkets and hypermarkets, usually stock significant amounts of non-food products, such as clothing and household items. Small grocery stores that sell mainly fruit and vegetables are known as greengrocers (Britain) or produce markets (U.S.), and small grocery stores that predominantly sell prepared food, such as candy and snacks, are known as convenience shops or delicatessens.

Differential Associations Between Changes in Food Environment and Changes in BMI Among Adults Living in Urban, Low-Income Communities

Food environments can contribute to excess weight gain among adults, but the evidence is mixed. This longitudinal study investigated the associations between changes in the food environment and changes in BMI in adults and whether changes in the food environment differentially impact various subgroups. At 2 time points, BMI was calculated using self-reported height and weight data from 517 adults (mean age, 41 years) living in 4 New Jersey cities. The counts of different types of food outlets within 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 km of respondents' residences were collected at baseline and tracked until follow-up. A binary measure of social standing (social-advantage group, n = 219; social-disadvantage group, n = 298) was created through a latent class analysis using social, economic, and demographic variables. Multivariable linear regression modeled the associations between changes in BMI with measures of the food environment; additionally, interaction terms between the measures of food environment and social standing were examined. Overall, over 18 months, an increase in the number of small grocery stores within 0.4 km of a respondent's residence was associated with a decrease in BMI (β = -1.0; 95% CI: -1.9, -0.1; P = 0.024), while an increase in the number of fast-food restaurants within 1.6 km was associated with an increase in BMI (β = 0.1; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.2; P = 0.027). These overall findings, however, masked some group-specific associations. Interaction analyses suggested that associations between changes in the food environment and changes in BMI varied by social standing. For instance, the association between changes in fast-food restaurants and changes in BMI was only observed in the social-disadvantage group (β = 0.1; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.2; P = 0.021). In a sample of adults living in New Jersey, changes in the food environment had differential effects on individuals' BMIs, based on their social standing.

The community food environment moderates the relationship between active commuting to school and child weight status

ObjectivesChildren who walk or bike to school engage in higher levels of physical activity compared to non-active commuters. However, despite the established benefits of increased physical activity, the observed association between active commuting to school (ACS) and child body mass index has been mixed, possibly due to obesogenic food environments to which some children may be exposed along the route between home and school. Our aim was to examine whether the food environment surrounding children's homes moderated the association between ACS and child body mass index z-scores (zBMI). MethodsWe conducted multivariable regression analyses utilizing cross-sectional data from a household survey distributed in 2014 within four low-income cities in New Jersey (n = 627). We used geocoded addresses for the child's home and for food outlets (i.e., limited-service [fast food] restaurants, convenience stores, small grocery stores, and supermarkets) to characterize the food environment within 0.25 miles of the child's home. ResultsAmong active commuters, a larger number of convenience stores and fast-food restaurants and the presence of at least one small grocery store near home were associated with higher zBMI; there was no such association among children who were not active commuters to school. Correspondingly, ACS was associated with lower zBMI among active commuters, but only within less unhealthy food environments. ConclusionsFindings suggest that unhealthy food environments have the potential to impede the beneficial association between ACS and child weight. Policy and intervention efforts to support ACS should also encourage the availability and promotion of healthy foods in food outlets frequented by children.