{"id":28790,"date":"2023-04-19T23:01:41","date_gmt":"2023-04-19T23:01:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.cancerresearchuk.org\/?p=25456"},"modified":"2024-11-03T15:12:48","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T15:12:48","slug":"routes-to-a-healthier-shopping-journey-how-your-supermarket-environment-influences-what-goes-into-your-basket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/routes-to-a-healthier-shopping-journey-how-your-supermarket-environment-influences-what-goes-into-your-basket\/","title":{"rendered":"Routes to a healthier shopping journey \u2013 how your supermarket environment influences what goes into your basket"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/div>\n

It\u2019s time to do your weekly shop. You\u2019ve entered your local supermarket with the best intentions to keep your shop healthy and balanced, and low in cost. <\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s that promotion that catches your eye? 2 for 1 on your favourite crisps? May as well stock up. You then go to the fresh produce section and buy your weekly supply of apples, onions, tomatoes, broccoli\u2026 Great, back on track. <\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

Ok, where\u2019s your regular plain yoghurt? Not in its usual spot? There\u2019s no time to search around \u2013 just pick up the chocolate puddings instead, as a one-off \u2013 they look amazing!<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

Now on to the freezer section for frozen fish and vegetables. While you\u2019re there, you notice there\u2019s a half price offer on that new ice cream being advertised on social media. OK fine let\u2019s get it, it\u2019s cheaper than buying more fruit for a dessert option.<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

Phew. Time to pay \u2013 can\u2018t even fit anymore in the basket. Except those high protein bars are being advertised by the till. It\u2019s not clear how much sugar is in them, but it says they are full of good nutrients, and they\u2019re always promoted at the gym. They must be good for you, right? \u2013 One more item can\u2019t hurt\u2026<\/span><\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n

Sound familiar? We\u2019ve all been there, and it\u2019s not a coincidence. From the second you enter a supermarket, to the moment you pay, you are faced with choices \u2013 and these choices are influenced by your environment more than you may realise.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

In partnership with British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK, our new <\/span>Trolley Trends<\/em><\/a> analysis has shown that people generally have a good knowledge about what a <\/a><\/span>healthy diet<\/span><\/a> is<\/a>. They intend to make healthier choices when they shop, yet then struggle to do so in practice. This includes online shopping. The research also finds that families with younger children have the highest proportion of unhealthy products in their baskets. Cost and taste are two of the key factors driving this.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Action is needed to change the shopping<\/span><\/b> environment<\/span><\/b> <\/span> <\/span><\/h2>\n

Eating healthily is about having a healthy balance. But the world around us can heavily influence our purchasing behaviours and consumption. One of the key reasons we don\u2019t have a good balance in the UK is because our wider food environment currently tips the scales in the wrong direction \u2013 to spending more than intended and on less healthy products than we set out to buy. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

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Promotions tend to be on less healthy foods, and this can make them more tempting to buy \u2013 but don\u2019t be fooled! There is evidence that buying foods on offer can lead to more spending overall. So not quite the bargain you thought.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

And it affects some more than others. There are diet inequalities, meaning there are differences between groups in how easy it is to eat healthily in the long-term. This puts people who face the most barriers to accessing a healthy diet, such as those from lower income groups, at higher risk of serious diseases. You can read more about this in our article \u2018<\/span>Why is it harder for some people to eat healthily?<\/a>\u2019 <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

There is a clear responsibility for those with influence to put bold measures in place to help make having a healthy diet the easy option. And <\/span>with 42 million people in the UK predicted be overweight or obese by 2040<\/a><\/span>, we need to take collective action as a nation to make a healthy and balanced diet accessible to all.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Supermarkets can help by creating an environment that supports healthy choices <\/span><\/b> <\/span><\/h2>\n

Navigating a supermarket can sometimes make it difficult to avoid the tempting offers and alluring marketing of less healthy products. It can also feel harder to locate healthy products, or to work out which products are even healthy in the first place. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

This is why, amongst other recommendations for government and for wider industry, we propose a new take on the classic marketing \u20184 Ps\u2019. These are recommendations which are within the supermarkets\u2019 control that could help rebalance their offer and assist people to eat and drink more healthily.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Infographic<\/p>\n

Healthy alternatives need to be:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n