Facilitating healthier food purchases through product placement, promotional cues, and pricing interventions in Australian food relief pantries

A primary response to Australia's food insecurity involves provision of food relief. Evidence suggests those with more severe food insecurity lack regular access to sufficient nutritious food to meet dietary needs. Marketing techniques such as nudging are commonly used in food retail environments to influence consumer purchases, yet use of these to support healthier client purchases in the food relief sector is uncommon. This study measured the effectiveness of nudging on in-store purchases and store displays in two client-choice food relief pantries using promotional cues and product placement (2P), followed by the addition of a pricing intervention (3P) applied to discretionary snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages. Both pantries underwent four consecutive stages: a 9-week baseline, a 12-week intervention using 2P, a 6-week intervention applying 3P, and an 8-week post-intervention. Food and beverage turnover was measured using nett weight of products and a purpose-designed Decision Matrix classification tool which organised foods based on food groups and nutrition-colour categories. In-store displays were assessed for adherence to intervention requirements and potential exposure to these food groups and nutrition-colour categories. Compared to baseline, implementation of 2P, with or without the addition of recommended retail pricing 3P, successfully enabled healthy food purchasing: 2P significantly increased turnover of healthier options such as fresh fruit and vegetables and reduced turnover of discretionary snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages. Application of 3P amplified these changes, with some effects sustained post-intervention. Findings suggest nudging with or without a pricing strategy can enable healthy food purchasing in these settings, contingent on a consistent and sufficient supply of healthy core foods.