Beyond Food Prices: Does Store Location Matter

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Beyond Food PricesDoes Store Location Matter?
Diana Cassady, DrPHAssistant Professor Center
for Advanced Studies in Nutrition and Social
Marketing Dept. Public Health Sciences UC Davis
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Objectives

• The problem of low fruit and vegetable
  consumption among low-income consumers.
• Trends in the food industry may make healthy food
  less available in low-income areas.
• Promising alternatives to traditional food
  distribution and retailing models.

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1. Low produce consumption
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2. Food Deserts
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Supermarket Consolidation

• Costcos share of grocery sales increasing.
• 40 new WalMart Supercenters in California.
• Tesco plans 100 new stores ultimately 500 in So.
  Cal.

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3. Promising Alternatives to Traditional Food
Retailers
Philadelphia Working with stores near
elementary schools to sell healthier snacks.
Baltimore Adding low fat milk, whole grain
breads, and other healthy foods.
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Jimmys MarketNorth Sacramento
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Jimmys Market Sales
Total pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables sold
per week.
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Produce Boxes
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Good Food Box, Toronto
Problem Providing low-income consumers access to
fresh, high quality fruits and vegetables.
Philosophy start with the food survive the
marketplace, build community.
2003 4,000 boxes delivered weekly with 200
volunteer site coordinators
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Conclusions

• Produce consumption among low-income consumers
  could be doubled.
• Non-traditional retailers may be a partial answer
  to food deserts. This will require innovative
  public/private partnerships.
• Price and quality should still be part of the
  equation.