Page 26 - FoodFocusThailand No.145_April 2018

SPECIAL FOCUS

Marketing Strategies of

Healthful Foods for

Small Retail Food Stores in USA

The healthfulness of foods and beverages found in retail food stores differs widely across the United States, both
by location of the store as well as by store type. Communities with predominantly white residents have two to four
times more supermarkets and large-chain grocery stores than communities of color. In contrast, lower-income and
communities of color have more small food outlets, such as small food stores (‘corner stores’) and convenience
stores. These small food stores primarily tend to sell pre-packaged foods and beverages that are high in calories
and poor in nutrients. They are also less likely to sell healthy, staple foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole
grain-rich foods, and low-fat dairy products.

Thus, some communities have limited access to stores that carry “healthy corner store” programs have demonstrated success in
healthful foods, and these limitations likely contribute, at least in part, to increasing the availability, visibility, affordability, promotion, and sales
disparities in diet and health. As such, several strategies are now being of healthy foods and beverages in small stores.
implemented in many locations across the United States to increase Whether the goal is to attract new stores to a neighborhood or
access to healthy foods in underserved communities. change the ones that already exist, there is a need to identify the
One strategy is to attract grocery stores or supermarkets that currently minimum amounts of healthful foods and beverages that stores,
are not located in these lower-income neighborhoods and communities particularly smaller food stores, should stock on their shelves. There
of color. However, opening a new store requires substantial investments, is also a need to recommend how these healthful foods and beverages
and it is not clear that this strategy is feasible and/or appropriate in all should be marketed to consumers. Carrying healthful foods and
settings. beverages, but not effectively marketing them, is unlikely to have an
A second strategy is to improve the healthfulness of foods and impact on the purchase and consumption of these items.
beverages sold by existing food retailers in underserved communities,
including retailers that are both small and large in size. Evaluations of

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