Supermarket Setting Research Articles

265 Supermarket Health Advocacy, Resources, and Education (SHARE): Results of a pilot community-based diabetes screening and education program

Objectives/Goals: To screen community members for prediabetes and diabetes in the grocery stores located in urban areas, identify gaps in healthcare access, promote healthy food, teach participants about diabetes prevention and management, and learn from them via interactive community-based educational sessions. Methods/Study Population: 303 Tops Friendly Market customers in urban Buffalo, NY participated in this program. Customers without a diabetes diagnosis took a CDC Prediabetes Risk Test (score >5 = prediabetes risk). Those with a previous diabetes diagnosis took a survey about their diabetes knowledge/management, healthcare access, and social determinants of health. Participants received a $5 voucher for fruit and vegetables. We conducted 5 educational sessions using an adult learning, participatory education approach. A $10 gift card was given for attendance. Participants shared questions/concerns and strategies to overcome barriers. We answered questions and collected information on barriers to diabetes care. Results/Anticipated Results: Seven-six participants (25%) had a diabetes diagnosis. Of these, 91% saw a doctor every 3 months, but 28% did not know the importance of HbA1c. 18% had trouble paying for medications, 15% had inadequate transportation. 227 took the Prediabetes Risk Test: 58% had a score >5, 47% had diabetes family history, 51% had hypertension, and 75% had a BMI that put them at risk for diabetes. 86% of those with a score5. 55 people (34 unique) participated in 5 sessions. We actively listened to diabetes perceptions, concerns, successes and barriers/facilitators to self-management, and discussed diabetes management strategies for heathier eating and lifestyle. Discussion/Significance of Impact: It is feasible to screen for health conditions in the supermarket setting, which can be an equalizer in enhancing access to healthcare. This study helped identify gaps in care and provided education. Importantly, people receiving this intervention lived in the poorest neighborhoods in Buffalo.

Arabic Machine Translation in the Supermarket: Does It Actually Work?

Due to mass production and economic consumerism practices, many businesses rely on cost-effective tactics to translate the name of a product or a brand on their shelves. One of the most common tactics is using Machine Translation (MT). It is necessary to examine MT in real-world scenarios where the translation may, or may not, be effective in delivering meaning. This article explores the MT of supermarket items from English to Arabic by focusing on the MT’s capabilities of meaning creation. Human translators must accept that any translation entails a form of loss and should make conscious decisions about which source text features to respect and which to sacrifice, but this might be different for MT. This study investigates the research question: is there significant meaning loss for Arabic Machine Translation (AMT) of supermarket items. Additionally, it aims to know how substantial the loss is to the conveyed message in a supermarket setting. These research questions are explored through a textual analysis of translating brochures, advertising, and describing supermarket products. More than 150 pages were examined, and around twelve AMT significant meaning loss instances were presented as examples. As a result, five reasons behind significant meaning loss were identified.

Can in-store product placement encourage purchases of side salads? A quasiexperimental study in a UK supermarket setting

Fruits and vegetables are rich in dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals making them beneficial for health. The UK’s Eatwell Guide (EWG)(1) recommends fruits and vegetables make up 40% of the diet (by weight), but on average they contribute less than 29% to the UK diet(2). Prominent product placement can boost sales. We explored the effect of placing salads next to ready meals in a retail setting, on salad and total fruit and vegetable sales.In a 12-week intervention (July – October 2021), four bagged salad products were shelved above Italian ready meals in 23 stores. Salads displayed a ‘healthy’ on-pack symbol and shelf signposting encouraging customers to ‘add salad to their baskets for a balanced meal’.Two matched control store groups were identified, based on store area demographics (n = 23 stores) and store-level pre-intervention bagged salad and Italian ready meal sales (n = 21 stores), accounting for external sales influences, e.g. weather, supply chain shocks and Covid-19 lockdown behaviours. Transactions were shared by the retailer for 2 years before, 3 months during, and 9 months post-intervention.Two years of pre-trial transactions (units and weight) were aggregated to the store level to produce an interrupted time series model quantifying changes in store-level daily sales of promoted salads, versus a predicted counterfactual. Analysis was repeated in control stores.Within-group change in mean basket proportion (by weight) by EWG segment was examined via the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for difference, comparing the intervention period with two timematched baseline (BL) periods (BL1 = July – October 2019, and BL2 = July – October 2020).In the first three weeks of the intervention, unit sales of promoted salads increased by 35.74% (CI 25.91 - 45.72, p<0.001) vs counterfactual in the intervention stores. However, over the whole 12weeks, unit sales were down 18.34% (CI -26.17%, -10.35%, p<0.001) vs counterfactual. A similar trend was observed across control groups, indicating changes were independent of the intervention.In intervention stores, fruits and vegetables made up 38.75% of baskets at BL1, but declined significantly over time, down 4.12 (p<0.001) percentage points in the intervention period vs BL1 and 1.43 (p<0.001) vs BL2. The proportion of composite (multi-ingredient) dishes rose; up 0.74(p<0.001) percentage points vs BL1 and 1.35 (p<0.001) vs BL2, as did discretionary items; up 0.91 (p<0.001) percentage points vs BL1 and 0.45 (p<0.001) vs BL2. Similar patterns were observed in control stores.Salad sales increased at the start of the intervention relative to predicted sales, but the same change was observed in control stores meaning it cannot be attributed to the trial. Pre-intervention fruit and vegetable purchases with the retailer aligned with the EWG, indicating shoppers already had healthy purchase patterns which may have limited intervention effectiveness.

Sustainable purchasing behavior and the consumer: Pre- and in-store interventions to facilitate the use of carbon labelling

This empirical article presents the results of two interventions at different stages in the purchase process designed to influence consumer purchase behavior towards lower carbon products. Survey and questionnaire results show the potential for targeted interventions to increase awareness and understanding of complex sustainability initiatives, such as carbon labelling. Analysis of supermarket loyalty card data provides further evidence of the widely cited attitude-intention-behavior gap. The value of measuring the behavioral impact of interventions objectively is therefore highlighted. The challenge of attempting to change behavior within real world contexts, such as a retail supermarket setting, is illustrated and the consequences of this discussed. Our findings present valuable insights for researchers studying behavioral change and stakeholders attempting to influence pro-environmental purchasing behavior.

Impact of a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist–Led Food as Medicine Program in the Food Retail Setting: A Feasibility Study

Impact of a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist–Led Food as Medicine Program in the Food Retail Setting: A Feasibility Study

Visual fidelity in the metaverse matters for memory performance

Visual fidelity in the metaverse matters for memory performance

Apriori Algorithm and Market Basket Analysis to Uncover Consumer Buying Patterns: Case of a Kenyan Supermarket

This article presents a study on utilizing the Apriori algorithm and Market Basket Analysis (MBA) to reveal consumer buying patterns in supermarkets. The aim of this research is to explore the effectiveness of these data mining techniques in revealing valuable insights that can inform marketing strategies and enhance the overall shopping experience for customers. This study centered on improving customer loyalty within the supermarket setting through the utilization of cutting-edge information technology and programming applications, including Python. Specifically, the Apriori algorithm libraries of the Python language were employed to identify frequent item sets and derive 42 association rules, which shed light on product affinities and co-purchasing patterns. By deriving association rules from the frequent item sets, the study identified the significance of strategically placing frequently purchased products to enhance revenue generation. In conclusion, the application of the Apriori algorithm and Market Basket Analysis in this case of a Kenyan supermarket has proven to be a valuable approach for uncovering consumer buying patterns, providing a competitive edge in the dynamic retail industry.

Factors affecting public acceptance of healthy lifestyle nudges

Factors affecting public acceptance of healthy lifestyle nudges

Evaluating the relative impact of multiple healthy food choice interventions on choice process variables and choices

Evaluating the relative impact of multiple healthy food choice interventions on choice process variables and choices

Involving supermarkets in health promotion interventions in the Danish Project SoL. A practice-oriented qualitative study on the engagement of supermarket staff and managers

BackgroundSupermarkets have been suggested as relevant settings for environmental and educational initiatives encouraging healthier shopping and eating decisions, but in the literature, limited attention has been paid to the context, perspectives, and everyday practices of supermarket staff. The aim of this study was to examine the engagement of supermarket staff in a health promotion project from a practice-oriented perspective.MethodsThe study was based on qualitative data collected in the supermarket setting of Project SoL; a community-based health promotion project in Denmark. We conducted 26 in-depth interviews with store managers and other key staff members in seven participating supermarkets. In addition, we collected data on planning, implementation, and perceptions of supermarket staff of in-store interventions and other project-related activities. These field data included short telephone interviews, observational notes, photos, and audiotapes of meetings. Data were analysed from the perspective of practice theory.ResultsAlthough supermarket staff found community-based health promotion meaningful to engage in, the study observed that their engagement was challenged by a business mindset, practical routines and structural requirements favouring sales promotion over health promotion. Nevertheless, there were also examples of how health promotion activities and ways of thinking were successfully incorporated in everyday staff practices during and after Project SoL.ConclusionsOur findings point to both potentials and challenges for using supermarkets as settings for health promotion. The voluntary engagement of supermarket staff in community-based health projects cannot stand alone but should be supplemented by more long-lasting strategies and policies regulating this and other food environments. Context-sensitive and practice-oriented analyses in local food environments could inform such strategies and policies to make sure they target unwanted elements and practices and not just individual behavior.

Does promoting plant-based products in Veganuary lead to increased sales, and a reduction in meat sales? A natural experiment in a supermarket setting.

To explore changes in plant-based and meat product sales during and after implementation of a multi-component in-store intervention implemented by a major UK food retailer. Secondary objectives included exploring differences by store format and area affluence. The intervention increased the visibility, accessibility, affordability and availability of a selection of plant-based products. Unit sales of plant-based and meat products during the intervention (January 2021) were compared with pre- (November 2020) and post-intervention (February and March 2021). Non-meat product sales were assessed as a control. Negative binomial mixed models were used to explore sales changes and differences by store format or affluence. The intervention was applied in a real-world supermarket setting during Veganuary. Stores that applied the full intervention (n 154) were included for analysis. Weekly sales data for each store were obtained from the retailer. Average weekly unit sales of plant-based products increased significantly (57 %) during the intervention period (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1·52 (95 % CI1·51, 1·55)). Plant-based product sales decreased post-intervention but remained 15 % higher than pre-intervention (IRR 1·13 (95 % CI 1·12, 1·14)). There was no significant change in meat sales according to time period. The increase in plant-based product sales was greatest at superstores (58 %), especially those located in below average affluence areas (64 %). Results suggest that increasing visibility, accessibility, affordability and availability of plant-based products led to increased sales, with evidence of lasting effects. No significant changes in meat sales were observed. Variation according to store format and area affluence indicates targeted intervention approaches are needed.

Food industry perspectives on potential policies targeting unhealthy food and beverage price promotions in Australian supermarkets

Current supermarket price promotions are likely to encourage unhealthy diets, leading some governments to recently endorse restrictions on price promotions for unhealthy food and beverages. However, little is known about the likely industry response to policy action in this area. The aim of this study was to understand how potential government policies targeting food and beverage price promotions in supermarkets are perceived by food industry stakeholders in Australia. Twelve semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with current and former employees of major food manufacturers and food retailers as well as other industry experts with experience related to price promotion practices in the Australian supermarket setting. Data were analysed deductively based on Lewin’s organisational change theories and inductively to highlight forces that might drive or restrain change.From an industry perspective, forces likely to create industry opposition to implementation of price promotion policy included: fear of losing competitive advantage; potential financial loss for food retailers and their suppliers; a perception that restrictions on price promotions for unhealthy products will not impact health; and a perception of increased financial cost to consumers. Forces perceived to drive implementation of a policy that would benefit public health included: mandatory regulation; extensive compliance monitoring; support for promoting healthy products; consumer education; and sufficient lead time and support from retailers for implementation. These forces, and the way in which they interact, need to be actively considered as part of efforts to change the healthiness of food and beverage price promotions in supermarkets.

Shopping in Reality or Virtuality? A Validation Study of Consumers' Price Memory in a Virtual vs. Physical Supermarket.

This study validates a VR supermarket as a research tool by studying the influence of the food shopping setting on consumers’ price memory—an important antecedent for price comparisons in the purchase situation. In a quasi-experiment, two groups of consumers were given a shopping task in either a physical supermarket or a virtual reality supermarket setting. Upon task completion, participants’ explicit and implicit price memory was measured across three food product categories (pizza sauce, pasta, and dark chocolate). Results revealed no significant difference between the two settings, supporting the comparability between the VR shopping experience and the experience in the physical supermarket. The VR supermarket can therefore be a valid tool for studying consumer food choice behaviour in a shopping context. Further results show that explicit price memory is weaker compared to implicit price memory, that even prices are remembered better than odd prices, and that price memory follows the expected pattern in a VR supermarket as well. Finally, exploratory findings indicate that the feeling of physical presence and self-presence is relatively high for this particular VR supermarket, whereas social presence is weaker.

Nudging more sustainable grocery purchases: Behavioural innovations in a supermarket setting

Nudging more sustainable grocery purchases: Behavioural innovations in a supermarket setting

Food promotions and the cost of a healthy diet.

With approximately two in three UK adults overweight or obese, one in five living in poverty and our emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic with implications for employment and income status there is an urgent need to understand what it costs to eat healthily and the role that promotions can play in helping householders manage food budgets. The literature suggests that, in affluent countries, price promotions appear to increase consumer food purchases and are applied more frequently to less healthy products than their healthy counterparts. This review discusses the cost of a healthy diet, identifies the prevalence of promotions in both the supermarket setting generally and a typical shopping basket specifically, and discusses the barriers to affording a healthy diet. Given the current policy focus on the cost of living and population health emphasising the need for food shopping to represent health and value for money for better public health outcomes, this review contributes to the evidence base for retailers' and policymakers' consideration as policy solutions are sought to reduce population obesity levels, while ensuring the affordability and accessibility of nutritious food. It is important, given the shift in consumer purchasing behaviour to online shopping as a result of self-isolating or reticence to physically access stores in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, that retail food promotions are available irrespective of the chosen mode of shopping (in-store or online).

Do virtual reality experiments replicate projection bias phenomena? Examining the external validity of a virtual supermarket

AbstractWe examine whether projection bias is also present in virtual environments. Two hypotheses were tested using a between‐subject experiment with three conditions: (i) experimental context (virtual vs. real); (ii) consumption periods (today vs. tomorrow); and (iii) appetite level (hungry vs. satiated). An exact replication of the virtual supermarket was performed in a real supermarket setting to test for robustness. The findings indicate the presence of a projection bias in the virtual reality setting. The robustness test used to compare a virtual and a real purchase at the supermarket showed that subjects in the virtual environment behave similarly to those in a real supermarket. These results validate our findings and highlight virtual reality use as a new tool for investigating consumer behaviour in food research.

Local food sales and point of sale priming: evidence from a supermarket field experiment

Purpose An intention-behavior gap often occurs for socially responsible consumption, where despite positive consumer attitudes, sales remain disappointing. This paper aims to test the ability of in-store priming to increase sales of local foods vis-à-vis imported, cheaper equivalents. Design/methodology/approach Laboratory and field experiments in three countries (Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia), working with an international grocery retailer, assess the ability of textual and pictorial-based point of sale (PoS) materials to increase the purchase of local foods. Field sales data, for the purchase of local apples and cherries and their imported equivalents, are complemented by an analysis of loyalty card transactions. Findings Field data indicate that both pictorial and textual PoS materials, significantly increase the likelihood of purchasing local foods, against cheaper imported equivalents. Pictorial PoS materials appear more effective than textual equivalents. Laboratory study data indicate that PoS materials increase the salience of goal consistent mechanisms in decision-making at the expense of mechanisms to achieve non-primed goals. Research limitations/implications The field experiment lasted for only two weeks and focused on seasonal produce. Practical implications PoS materials offer a low cost intervention for modifying consumer behavior in stores. Originality/value The paper develops a theory regarding how priming works and its application in a supermarket setting. This is investigated and validated in the context of local foods. The study offers encouragement for the usefulness of other in-store primes, such as relating to diet, to improve socially desirable outcomes without economic incentives or coercion and in a cost-effective manner.

Towards an impactful intervention in a food retail setting - insights from transition management

Abstract Issue Socioeconomic inequalities in diet and health form a persistent public health problem. Environmental, non-agentic interventions are most likely to be equitable, but have to be implemented in a wider system with interests other than health promotion. Description of the Problem The Supreme Nudge project (2017-2022) implements a health promotion intervention (niche experiment) in a supermarket setting (regime context). As a sufficiently impactful intervention is likely to conflict with interests of the setting, the Transition Management (TM) framework is used to guide design and implementation. Following the four steps in this cyclical model, we explore the context of the food retail system and identify key players; develop coalitions, shared visions and transition agendas; mobilize actors and implement the intervention; and evaluate, monitor and learn from the intervention. Interviews and focus groups were held to address these steps. Results The Dutch supermarket context consists of multiple chains that, after several price wars, are shifting competition from price to corporate social responsibility goals, including health promotion. Together with key supermarket players, a shared vision was defined: making healthy dietary choices easier while striving for neutral business outcomes. Transition paths towards this vision, including their barriers and facilitators, were explored. Additional actors were mobilized to adapt and refine intervention components, and the intervention will be implemented mid-2020. The intervention will be monitored and evaluated to facilitate upscaling. Lessons Applying the TM framework facilitated the development of coalitions and a shared vision, the co-creation of intervention components and identification of transition paths. This is likely to also benefit implementation and upscaling of the intervention. Applying the TM framework will also be useful for transferring successful interventions to other contexts. Key messages Implementing a health promotion in a food retail setting is challenging because of the conflicting interests. The Transition Management framework can facilitate successful implementation through creating a shared vision and foreseen transition paths.

The effects of nudging and pricing on healthy food purchasing behavior in a virtual supermarket setting: a randomized experiment

BackgroundEvidence on what strategies - or combination of strategies - are most effective and equitable in promoting healthier diets is needed. This study examined the efficacy of nudging and pricing strategies on increasing healthy food purchases and the potential differential effect by socio-economic position (SEP) among Dutch adults in a virtual supermarket.MethodsA randomized study design was conducted within a virtual supermarket (SN VirtuMart). Participants were exposed to five within-subject study conditions (control, nudging, pricing, price salience and price salience with nudging) and randomized to one of three between-subject study arms (a 25% price increase on unhealthy products, a 25% discount on healthy products, or a 25% price increase and discount). In total, 455 participants of low and high SEP (using either education or income as proxy) were randomized to conduct their weekly shopping in a virtual supermarket for five consecutive weeks. The primary outcome included the percentage of healthy purchases. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models.ResultsIn total, 346 (76%) adults completed all five shops within the SN VirtuMart. Median age was 32.5, 49.2% had high education and 32.8% had high income. Out of the 12 conditions, four conditions were statistically significantly different from the control condition. Nudging and non-salient pricing strategies alone did not statistically significantly increase healthy food purchases, whereas a combination of salient price increases and discounts led to an increase in the percentage of healthy food purchases (B 4.5, 95%CI 2.6; 6.4). Combining salient pricing and nudging strategies led to increases in the percentage of healthy products in all three pricing arms, with largest effects found in the combined price increase and discount arm (B = 4.0, 95%CI = 2.0; 6.0). Effects were not modified by SEP.ConclusionsCombining health-related price increases and discounts and combining these salient pricing strategies with nudges in a supermarket setting seems to stimulate healthy food purchases for both low and high SEP populations. However, further research in real-world settings is needed.Trial registrationThis randomized trial (NTR7293) was registered in the Dutch trial registry (www.trialregister.nl).

The Role of Methods of Service Encounter and Surprise in Customer Delight and Customer Loyalty in Indonesian Supermarkets

Traditionally, service encounters in firms have been conducted through interactions between customers and employees. In this digital age, however, different industries have begun to adopt Self-Service Technologies (SSTs) in which customers are serviced by a machine rather than a human employee. This study hypothesized that customer delight, customer retention intent, and Word-of-Mouth (WOM) intent can all be driven by both SST use and surprise. The purpose of this study was thus to examine the role of SSTs and surprise on the three aforementioned dependent variables in an Indonesian supermarket setting. 189 respondents were selected as the convenience sample to represent the Indonesian population, and a between-subjects experiment was conducted. The results revealed that neither service encounter method nor surprise had a significant impact on the three dependent variables. Surprise may not necessarily induce delight, perhaps due to a lack of a solid explanation that followed it and differences in cultural perceptions of surprise. Moreover, it was predicted that rather than the SST use itself, customer responses are influenced by the awareness of other Indonesians towards SSTs.