Healthy food choices for only a fraction
more in cost
Findings from an HRC-funded feasibility study contradict the
commonly held belief that healthy food is substantially more expensive.
Data from the Supermarket Healthy Options Project (SHOP) pilot has
shown that healthy food options cost around $7 a week more than less
healthy options for a family of four.
Principal investigator Dr Cliona Ni Mhurchu, from the University of
Auckland’s Clinical Trials Research Unit says that making some
healthier choices, such as eating wholemeal bread instead of white bread
would only make a small difference to a family shopping bill and could
have important health benefits.
The study focused on staple food items and did not include fresh fruits and
vegetables. 90 top selling food items were used to create two
shopping baskets, one containing regular items, and the other their
healthier counterparts. Food items included meat and poultry, soft drinks,
butter and margarines, cheese, canned fruit, milk, bread,
breakfast cereal and canned fish. The food prices were averaged over a 12month period.
“We were looking for healthier food options that were simple
substitutes for regular foods, where people wouldn’t necessarily have to
change how they prepared the foods, for example, using low fat milk
rather than full fat milk,” Dr Ni Mhurchu says.
Results on individual items varied, with some items like low fat and full fat
milk coming in at the same price, while healthier breakfast cereals were
slightly cheaper than regular options. Dr Ni Mhurchu says shoppers consider a number of different factors when making choices about what foods
to buy. Taste is very important, as are family eating habits. She says this
research shows that cost is not necessarily the issue that many people
believe it is.
The SHOP trial will build on the pilot results to date with a new
Wellington-based trial, which started recruitment in February 2007. A
selection of Pak ‘N Save supermarket shoppers will receive automatic price
discounts on healthier foods. The aim is find out what works when it
comes to promoting healthy eating. The trial will involve 1200 volunteers
who will be randomly split into four groups. They will either receive
automatic price discounts; personalised nutrition information focused on
their usual food purchases, a combination of discounts and education, or
be tracked as a control.
“We are looking at whether discounting healthier food items, by about the
same amount as the GST paid on this items, or providing
personalised information that promotes healthy eating will encourage
families to buy healthier foods and potentially live longer,” Dr Ni Mhurchu
says.
Supermarket purchases will be tracked for six months with the
incentives in place and then for a further six months to see if there is a
sustained effect on shoppers’ habits.
This research is funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand.
HRC98 2007
Level 3, 110 Stanley Street, Auckland PO Box 5541,
Wellesley Street, Auckland, NZ
Telephone 64 9 303 5200 Facsimile 64 9 377 9988
Website www.hrc.govt.nz
Dr Cliona Ni Mhurchu
Key words:
- Healthy food options, families,
supermarkets
Key facts:
- Unhealthy diet plays a role in
11,000 deaths every year in
New Zealand and healthier diets are important in preventing
common diseases including
heart disease, stroke, cancer,
and diabetes
Aim of this research:
- To test ways of promoting
healthier food purchases in
supermarkets
What this research has shown:
- Healthy food options cost
around $7 per week more than
less health options for a family
of four
- A small difference in a family
supermarket food bill could
have important health benefits.