Determinants of food retail outlet choice in an urban food environment: a qualitative study in Indonesia

Findings highlight the complexity of urban food acquisition in LMIC settings, where residents navigate diverse food retail options shaped by economic, social, and contextual factors. Informal vendors remain central to everyday food access across socio-economic groups, pointing to the need for context-specific public health policies and programmes that do not assume a linear transition toward formalisation, but instead work with existing informal structures. Interventions should aim to regulate the availability and marketing of UPPs, support healthier retail environments across all outlet types, and leverage trust, familiarity, and local networks in shaping dietary behaviours through bottom-up approaches.