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This mixed methods study explored online grocery shopping perceptions by surveying individuals who do and do not receive SNAP benefits ( n  = 129) and by conducting interviews with SNAP recipients ( n  = 26) who have grocery shopped online. T-tests assessed survey findings, codebook thematic analysis was used to identify qualitative themes, and results were interpreted collectively. Survey results found no differences in perceptions of online grocery shopping between SNAP and non-SNAP recipients (p-values = 0.2-1.0) and that 97% of SNAP recipients felt comfortable using SNAP online. Five qualitative themes were identified and provided context to the survey results. The study findings can inform policy actions within SNAP.

In this study, we employed spatially aggregated population mobility data, generated from mobile phone locations in 2021, to investigate patterns of grocery store visits among residents east and northeast of Downtown Los Angeles, in which 60% of the census tracts had previously been designated as "food deserts". Further, we examined whether the store visits varied with neighborhood sociodemographics and grocery store accessibility. We found that residents averaged 0.4 trips to grocery stores per week, with only 13% of these visits within home census tracts, and 40% within home and neighboring census tracts. The mean distance from home to grocery stores was 2.2 miles. We found that people visited grocery stores more frequently when they lived in neighborhoods with higher percentages of Hispanics/Latinos, renters and foreign-born residents, and a greater number of grocery stores. This research highlights the utility of mobility data in elucidating grocery store use, and factors that may facilitate or be a barrier to store access. The results point to limitations of using geographically constrained metrics of food access like food deserts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Engaging young children in food skills such as food planning and preparation early in life may be an important predictor of later child cooking skills. The aim of this study was to examine whether early life involvement in food skills (mean age at baseline = 3.6 years) is prospectively associated with cooking skills among a sample of 60 children (mean age at follow-up = 10.0 years; 83% White) from the Guelph Family Health Study, an ongoing cohort study examining the effect of a home-based obesity prevention intervention. Early life involvement in food skills, i.e., child involvement in grocery shopping and meal preparation, was reported by parents at baseline. Children self-reported their cooking skills at follow-up. After adjusting for child age, child sex, parent age, household income, and intervention status, early life involvement in food skills was significantly associated with later child cooking skills (β = 0.24, 95% CI (0.02-0.45), p  = 0.03). Future studies with larger and more socioeconomically, geographically, and racially diverse samples are needed to confirm these findings., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests.

The objective of this study was to (1) assess via cross-sectional survey the prevalence of food insecurity among African Americans [AAs] after their most recent grocery shopping trip, and (2) examine the grocery shopping factors of importance and characteristics of food-insecure AA grocery shoppers. Most (70.4%) were food-insecure. Food-insecure grocery shoppers were significantly more likely to be younger, less educated, who often skipped meals and/or practiced fasting, accessed a food pantry, were SNAP recipients, were considered to not be in "good" health, and who had higher BMI compared to food-secure shoppers ( p ≤ 0.03 * for all). Our data showed that AAs shopped for groceries a mean 2.20 ± 1.29 times per week, for low prices (72.1%), without a weekly budget (58.9%), with a grocery list (44.6%) or using an app (27.6%), for high-quality vegetables (27.5%), for good customer service (22.9%), for store brands (20.8%) and name brands (17.9%).Food-insecure shoppers were significantly more likely to grocery shop more times per week, have a weekly budget, and use an app, but were significantly less likely to report store brands, name brands, good customer service, and high-quality vegetables as grocery factors of importance ( p ≤ 0.03 * for all). Grocery strategies such as shopping with a grocery app and/or grocery list could help food-insecure AAs reduce grocery trips, promote meal planning to save money, and avoid skipping meals/fasting, while eating healthier.

Background: Smartphone apps can aid consumers in making healthier and more sustainable food purchases. However, there is still a limited understanding of the different app design approaches and their impact on food purchase choices. An overview of existing food purchase choice apps and an understanding of common challenges can help speed up effective future developments., Objective: We examined the academic literature on food purchase choice apps and provided an overview of the design characteristics, opportunities, and challenges for effective implementation. Thus, we contribute to an understanding of how technologies can effectively improve food purchase choice behavior and provide recommendations for future design efforts., Methods: Following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines, we considered peer-reviewed literature on food purchase choice apps within IEEE Xplore, PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. We inductively coded and summarized design characteristics. Opportunities and challenges were addressed from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. From the quantitative perspective, we coded and summarized outcomes of comparative evaluation trials. From the qualitative perspective, we performed a qualitative content analysis of commonly discussed opportunities and challenges., Results: We retrieved 55 articles, identified 46 unique apps, and grouped them into 5 distinct app types. Each app type supports a specific purchase choice stage and shares a common functional design. Most apps support the product selection stage (selection apps; 27/46, 59%), commonly by scanning the barcode and displaying a nutritional rating. In total, 73% (8/11) of the evaluation trials reported significant findings and indicated the potential of food purchase choice apps to support behavior change. However, relatively few evaluations covered the selection app type, and these studies showed mixed results. We found a common opportunity in apps contributing to learning (knowledge gain), whereas infrequent engagement presents a common challenge. The latter was associated with perceived burden of use, trust, and performance as well as with learning. In addition, there were technical challenges in establishing comprehensive product information databases or achieving performance accuracy with advanced identification methods such as image recognition., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that designs of food purchase choice apps do not encourage repeated use or long-term adoption, compromising the effectiveness of behavior change through nudging. However, we found that smartphone apps can enhance learning, which plays an important role in behavior change. Compared with nudging as a mechanism for behavior change, this mechanism is less dependent on continued use. We argue that designs that optimize for learning within each interaction have a better chance of achieving behavior change. This review concludes with design recommendations, suggesting that food purchase choice app designers anticipate the possibility of early abandonment as part of their design process and design apps that optimize the learning experience., (©Remco Benthem de Grave, Christopher N Bull, Diogo Monjardino de Souza Monteiro, Eleni Margariti, Gareth McMurchy, Joseph William Hutchinson, Jan David Smeddinck. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 06.03.2024.)

Objective: College is characterized by transition, students shifting from dependence to independence in numerous roles/responsibilities. Deficiencies in food/nutrition aptitudes and dietary intake exist, evidenced by declining physical well-being and poor eating patterns/practices within the population. Studies examining interventions to improve food/nutrition aptitudes and dietary intake among college students are limited. Participants/methods: A nutrition education program, Culinary Boot Camp ( CBC ), was developed and delivered to college students at a land-grant university. Online surveys assessed food/nutrition aptitudes and dietary intake pre-/post-/follow-up intervention. Results: Of 86 CBC participants, 71 pre-, 46 post-, and 20 follow-up surveys were completed. Several food/nutrition aptitudes improved ( p  ≤ 0.05), with greatest improvements in cooking skills/attitudes and healthy eating/grocery shopping self-efficacy ( p  < 0.01). Additionally, dietary intake of various micronutrients (vitamin C, magnesium, potassium) and fiber increased with statistical significance ( p  < 0.01). Conclusions: Results suggest CBC is an effective nutrition education program to improve food/nutrition aptitudes and dietary intake amomg college students.

Objective: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions in Melbourne, 2020, on food grocery purchases., Methods: Grocery purchase data for 2019 and 2020 were accessed for 1,413 Melbourne households (NielsenIQ Homescan Consumer Panel) and linked to a nutrition composition database (FoodSwitch)., Results: Per capita expenditure and dietary energy from groceries increased by 21.2% and 17.7%, respectively, during lockdowns, with marginally larger increases in expenditure and energy purchases from unhealthy products than healthy products (21.9% and 18.0% v 20.2% and 17.5%). The most socioeconomically disadvantaged households spent the least on but purchased the most energy from unhealthy products during lockdowns ($108 and 109MJ per capita per month), with the inverse found for the most advantaged households ($121 and 102MJ per capita per month). An increase in the overall proportion of total expenditure from unhealthy products during lockdowns was identified (+0.7%); however, there was no evidence of a difference in the proportion of energy purchased from unhealthy products. For most quintiles of household socioeconomic disadvantage/advantage, there were no statistically significant changes in the contribution of unhealthy products to total expenditure and energy purchases., Conclusions: There was no substantial deterioration in the healthiness of grocery purchases during COVID-19 lockdowns in Melbourne. However, any additional purchases of unhealthy products are a concern. Further research on other sources of foods and drinks is also required to ascertain impacts on broader dietary patterns., Implications for Public Health: The increase in energy purchased may have implications for overweight and obesity as a risk factor for COVID-19 and chronic diseases. Governments and retailers may need to consider measures to encourage improved diet quality during future crises., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To examine the feasibility and implementation of an optimal defaults intervention designed to align grocery purchases with a diet recommended for people with or at-risk for type 2 diabetes., Design: This was a 5-week pilot randomised trial with three groups: in-person grocery shopping, shopping online and shopping online with 'default' carts. Participants were asked to shop normally in Week One, according to group assignment in Weeks Two-Four (intervention period), and as preferred in Week Five. All groups received diabetes-friendly recipes via email each intervention week., Setting: Participants grocery shopped in person or online. Grocery receipt forms, enrolment information and exit surveys were collected remotely and used to assess feasibility and implementation., Participants: Sixty-five adults with or at-risk for type 2 diabetes., Results: Sixty-two participants completed the exit survey and fifty-five submitted receipts all 5 weeks. Forty utilised recipes, 95 % of whom indicated recipes were somewhat or very useful. Orange chicken, quesadillas and pork with potato and apples were the most liked recipes. Most Defaults group participants accepted at least some default cart items. Recipes with the highest default acceptance were whole grain pasta and chicken, quesadillas with black beans and chicken with olives. Participants' primary concerns about the intervention were costs associated with online shopping, inability to select preferred foods and some recipes including ingredients household members would not eat., Conclusions: The study had high retention, data were successfully collected remotely and the intervention was acceptable to most participants. Tailoring recipes to household preferences may be beneficial in future studies.

Background: Federal food assistance programs are working towards online grocery shopping. Online ordering in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is emerging following successful implementation in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)., Objective: To identify anticipated challenges, potential solutions, and expected costs of WIC online ordering., Design: Cross-sectional, mixed-methods, web-based, survey research., Subjects and Setting: Data were collected from December 2020 to January 2021. Purposeful and snowball sampling included WIC stakeholders involved in developing processes and systems required for WIC online ordering. Respondents represented diverse geographic areas, levels of intraorganizational authority, and WIC benefit card types., Statistical Analyses Performed: The research team used a rapid analysis and lean coding approach to identify emergent themes from open-ended survey responses. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the distribution of responses across themes and stakeholder types., Results: Respondents (n = 145) described 812 anticipated challenges within 20 themes grouped into five topic areas: rules and regulations; shopping experience; security, confidentiality, fraud, and WIC State agency processes; training, assistance, and education; and equitable access and buy-in. Addressing anticipated regulatory issues were among the few concrete potential solutions described. The two most frequent costs reported were increased staff time and start-up and ongoing technology costs., Conclusions: This study identified several, critical anticipated challenges and considerations that will help prepare WIC state agencies for opportunities to expand online ordering to WIC participants., (Copyright © 2023 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Naturalistic online grocery stores could provide a novel setting for evaluating nutrition interventions. In 2021-2022, we recruited US adults ( n 144, 59% low-income) to complete two weekly study visits: one in a naturalistic ('mock') online grocery store developed for research and one in a real online grocery store. Participants selected groceries and responded to survey questions. Analyses examined survey responses and expenditures on fifteen food categories (e.g., bread, sugar-sweetened beverages). Nearly all enrolled participants completed both visits (98% retention). Moreover, nearly participants all reported that their selections in the naturalistic store were similar to their usual purchases (95%) and that the naturalistic store felt like a real store (92%). Participants' spending on food categories in the naturalistic store were moderately-to-strongly correlated with their spending in the real store (range of correlation coefficients: 0⋅36-0⋅67, all P -values < 0⋅001). Naturalistic online grocery stores may offer a promising platform for conducting nutrition research., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

To date, neuroscientific literature on consumption patterns of specific categories of consumers, such as people with disability, is still scarce. This study explored the implicit emotional consumer experience of visually impaired (VI) consumers in-store. A group of VI and a control group explored three different product shelves and manipulated target products during a real supermarket shopping experience. Autonomic (SCL, skin conductance level; SCR, skin conductance response; HR, heart rate; PVA, pulse volume amplitude; BVP, blood volume pulse), behavioural and self-report data were collected in relation to three phases of the in-store shopping experience: (i) identification of a product (recognition accuracy, ACC, and reaction times, RTs); (ii) style of product purchase (predominant sense used for shelf exploration, store spatial representation, and ability to orientate themselves); (iii) consumers experience itself, underlying their emotional experience. In the VI group, higher levels of disorientation, difficulty in finding products, and repeating the route independently were discovered. ACC and RTs also varied by product type. VI also showed significantly higher PVA values compared to the control. For some specific categories (pasta category), PVA correlates negatively with time to recognition and positively with simplicity in finding products in the entire sample. In conclusion, VI emotional and cognitive experience of grocery shopping as stressful and frustrating and has a greater cognitive investment, which is mirrored by the activation of a larger autonomic response compared to the control group. Nevertheless, VI ability to search and recognise a specific product is not so different from people without visual impairment.

Online grocery shopping has expanded rapidly in the U.S., yet little is known about the retailer's perceptions of online grocery services, which can aid in the expansion of services. Furthermore, many barriers to online grocery utilization persist across geographic areas, especially among Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-authorized retailers. This study captured perceived barriers and facilitators of online grocery shopping for managers of SNAP-authorized retailers. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers (n = 23) of grocery stores/supermarkets in urban and rural areas across four different states: TN, KY, NC, and NY. Grocery store managers offering online ordering (n = 15) and managers from brick-and-mortar stores without online services (n = 8) participated in the interviews. Three primary themes emerged among managers offering online ordering: (1) order fulfillment challenges, (2) perceived customer barriers, and (3) perceived customer benefits. Among managers at brick-and-mortar locations without online services, four major themes emerged: (1) thoughts on implementing online shopping, (2) COVID-19 pandemic impacts, (3) competition with other stores, and (4) benefits of maintaining brick-and-mortar shopping. This study provides a deeper understanding of retailers' experience and perceptions of online grocery services among stores authorized to accept SNAP benefits. This perspective is necessary to inform policies and enhance the evolving virtual food marketplace for SNAP customers.

Background: Public housing residents, who tend to be predominantly female and racial/ethnic minorities, are at a particularly high risk for chronic health conditions. Prior studies have suggested that a lack of access to healthy and affordable food may be an important barrier in public housing communities, but evidence is mixed on the association between the neighborhood food environment and dietary quality, suggesting the need to examine food access patterns in low-income, minority communities more deeply. The purpose of this study was to examine the variability in grocery shopping patterns, and the factors that predict them, among low-income minority women in public housing., Methods: Interviewer-administered surveys and body composition measurements were collected in the Watts Neighborhood Health Study, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of low-income urban public housing residents located in South Los Angeles. Descriptive analyses were conducted to understand the variation in grocery shopping patterns among women. Logistic and ordered logistic regression models were estimated to examine the association between resident characteristics and grocery shopping patterns., Results: There was considerable variability in grocery shopping patterns, including the types of grocery stores accessed, distance travelled, frequency of shopping, and reasons behind grocery store choice. Grocery shopping patterns were associated with several participant characteristics, including race/ethnicity, working status, access to a car, income, and education. Hispanic participants were less likely to shop at a supermarket, travel further distances to shop, shop more frequently, and were more likely to prioritize price in their choice of primary grocery store than non-Hispanic Black women participants., Conclusions: There was considerable variability in grocery shopping patterns, even within this low-income, minority community despite access to the same neighborhood food environment. Convenience and quality, in addition to price, were priorities for choice of primary grocery store, and differences by race/ethnicity suggest that initiatives to improve the neighborhood food environment should consider quality of food, cultural factors, and availability of foods desired by the surrounding community, in addition to price and proximity of grocery stores., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Dietary intake is a powerful modifiable factor that influences cancer risk; however, most US adults do not adhere to dietary guidelines for cancer prevention. One promising pathway for improving dietary adherence is targeting grocery shopping habits. Interventions might facilitate healthy grocery choices, with a combination of mHealth and traditional methods, by promoting the salience of dietary goals while shopping, enhancing motivation to make dietary changes, and increasing household support for healthy food purchasing., Objective: This pilot study will assess feasibility and acceptability of intervention components designed to improve adherence to dietary guidelines for cancer prevention (preliminary aim). The primary aim of the study is to quantify the effect of each intervention component, individually and in combination, on dietary intake (primary aim) and grocery store food purchases (exploratory aim). Mediation analyses will be conducted to understand the mechanisms of action (goal salience, motivation, and household support-secondary aims). The overarching goal is to optimize an mHealth intervention to be tested in a future fully powered clinical trial., Methods: The study enrolled adults (N=62) with low adherence to dietary recommendations for cancer prevention. In a 20-week program, all participants attend a nutrition education workshop and receive weekly educational messages through an app. A factorial design is used to test 4 intervention components: (1) location-triggered messages: educational messages are delivered when arriving at grocery stores; (2) reflections on the benefits of change: content is added to messages to encourage reflection on anticipated benefits of healthy eating, and participants attend an additional workshop session and 3 coach calls on this topic; (3) coach monitoring: food purchases are monitored digitally by a coach who sends personalized weekly app messages and conducts 3 coaching calls that focus on feedback about purchases; and (4) household support: another adult in the household receives messages designed to elicit support for healthy food purchasing, and support is addressed in 3 coach calls and an extra workshop session attended by the index participant and household member. Assessments are completed at weeks 0, 10, and 20 using self-report measures, as well as objective capture of grocery data from the point of purchase using store loyalty accounts., Results: The National Cancer Institute funded this study (R21CA252933) on July 7, 2020. Participant recruitment began in the spring of 2021 and concluded with the successful enrollment of 62 participants. Data collection is expected to be completed in the summer of 2022, and results are expected to be disseminated in the summer of 2023., Conclusions: The results of this study will inform the development of scalable interventions to lower cancer risk via changes in dietary intake., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04947150; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04947150., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/39669., (©Olivia Z Horgan, Nicole T Crane, Evan M Forman, Brandy-Joe Milliron, Nicole L Simone, Fengqing Zhang, Meghan L Butryn. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 24.06.2022.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced consumer behavior in numerous ways. Most of the public health measures have centered around minimizing social contact and physical touch. In the present study, we investigate the impact of such touch restrictions, introduced during the pandemic, on consumers' shopping responses and payment preferences in the context of a perishable food category amenable to tactile evaluation (fresh fruits and vegetables). The study used a single-factor between-subjects design (during vs. before the COVID-19 pandemic), with the data collected in a scenario-based online experiment from a sample of 729 participants. The results revealed significantly less favorable shopping responses during (vs. before) the pandemic in terms of purchase likelihood, satisfaction levels, and purchase confidence. Touch likelihood mediated the link between pandemic condition and shopping responses, such that participants in the pandemic condition reported a significantly lower touch likelihood of fresh fruits and vegetables than their counterparts in the pre-pandemic condition, which ultimately resulted in less favorable shopping responses. Participants in the pandemic condition also reported a decreased preference for tangible payment options (cash), with a corresponding increase in preferences for contactless payment methods (credit card or mobile payment). These findings contribute to our understanding of whether and how tactile aspects may influence consumers' shopping responses, offering important implications for retailers and people working in the food industry., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Product bundling is a common retail marketing strategy. The bundling of food items has the potential to increase profits in the grocery sector, particularly for fresh produce, which often has lower profit margins. Although prior work suggests consumers prefer bundles because they require less cognitive effort to select, no study has yet experimentally manipulated cognitive load when food bundles are included in the choice set. To test whether bundle preference differs when cognitive resources are constrained, a grocery shopping experiment was conducted with 250 consumers in the midwestern U.S., in a laboratory that featured a grocery store display. Consumers who grocery shopped under cognitive load had a higher odds of selecting a food bundle even when the bundle did not offer a price discount. Results suggest food bundles may be preferred because they require less cognitive effort to process, which could benefit consumers by simplifying the grocery shopping experience. Additional factors found to influence food bundle selection included whether the bundled items were perceived as being complementary and hunger levels. Food bundles could help lessen cognitive effort associated with grocery shopping and may especially appeal to those who do not enjoy food shopping.

Research has examined how the entry of grocery stores into neighborhoods influences dietary outcomes, yet limited evidence suggests a direct correlation between opening a store and changes in dietary intake. A factor that might influence individuals' behavior more directly is the closing of a grocery store where residents shop. This study aims to examine how a grocery closure in a rural Appalachian high poverty county is associated with dietary intake. A cohort of n = 152 individuals were recruited to participate in a longitudinal study examining purchasing habits and dietary intake. At time point two, one year later, n = 74 individuals completed the survey via phone. Results indicate those that switched from shopping at a local grocery store to a supercenter significantly increased their dietary intake of fruit (0.2 ± 0.8), fruits and vegetables (1.4 ± 2.7), alcohol (grams) (17.3 ± 54.1), and tomato sauce (0.1 ± 0.3). A local grocery store closure was associated with a change in shopping behavior and dietary intake. Community-level interventions targeting dietary behaviors must account for neighborhood food environment influences, including grocery store availability. Policy aimed at improving food access in rural communities need to consider approaches to improving a variety of food venues with affordable healthy food, while addressing the evolving grocery shopping behaviors of consumers.

Background: To limit the spread of COVID-19, a strict lockdown was imposed in France between March and May 2020. Mobility limitations and closure of non-essential public places (restaurants, open-air markets, etc.) affected peoples' food environment (FE) and thus their food purchasing practices (FPPs). This study aimed to explore changes in FPPs of French households during lockdown and associations with individual and environmental factors., Methods: In April of 2020 households from the Mont'Panier cross-sectional study ( n = 306), a quota sampling survey conducted in the south of France, were asked to complete an online questionnaire about their FPPs during lockdown and related factors, including perceived FE (distance to closest general food store, perception of increased food prices, etc.). Objective FE (presence, number, proximity, and density of food outlets) was assessed around participant's home using a geographical information system. Multiple correspondence analysis based on changes in frequency of use and quantity of food purchased by food outlet, followed by a hierarchical cluster analysis, resulted in the identification of clusters. Logistic regression models were performed to assess associations between identified clusters and household's sociodemographic characteristics, perceived, and objective FE., Results: Five clusters were identified. Cluster "Supermarket" (38% of the total sample), in which households reduced frequency of trips, but increased quantity bought in supermarkets during lockdown, was associated with lower incomes and the perception of increased food prices. Cluster "E-supermarket" (12%), in which households increased online food shopping with pickup at supermarket, was associated with higher incomes. Cluster "Diversified" (22%), made up of households who reduced frequency of trips to diverse food outlet types, was associated with the perception of increased food prices. Cluster "Organic Food Store" (20%), in which households did not change frequency of trips, nor quantity purchased in organic food stores, was associated with being older (35-50 y vs. <35 y). Finally, cluster "Producer" (8%), which includes households who regularly purchased food from producers, but mostly reduced these purchases during lockdown, was associated with the presence of an organic food store within a 1-km walking distance around home., Conclusion: This study highlighted diverse changes in FPPs during lockdown and overall more significant associations with perceived than with objective FE indicators., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Recchia, Rollet, Perignon, Bricas, Vonthron, Perrin and Méjean.)

Objectives: To determine the relationship between sustainable and healthy food shopping behavior comparing general motivation with the immediate intention to act., Method: We conducted an online survey of 144 staff at the Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland, using a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Self-Determination Theory to compute the Behavioral Intention score and the Relative Autonomy Index in relation to healthy and sustainable grocery shopping., Results: The intention to shop healthy food was higher ( p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.56) than the intention to shop in a sustainable way. A significant intention-action gap was observed for both healthy ( p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.97) and sustainable grocery shopping ( p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.78). While there was a significant correlation ( p < 0.001) between the longer-term motivations to act in a healthy and sustainable way, this association was not significant ( p = 0.16) for the more short-term Behavioral Intention scores., Conclusion and Implications: Health was identified as a more important driver for dietary behavior compared to sustainability. While longer-term motivation shows a stronger correlation between healthy and sustainable grocery shopping, short-term intentions do not follow this pattern as strongly. A significant intention-action gap exists for both, which is stronger for sustainability than for health., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Blanke, Billieux and Vögele.)

Online grocery shopping has the potential to improve access to food, particularly among low-income households located in urban food deserts and rural communities. The primary aim of this pilot intervention was to test whether a three-armed online grocery trial improved fruit and vegetable (F&V) purchases. Rural and urban adults across seven counties in Kentucky, Maryland, and North Carolina were recruited to participate in an 8-week intervention in fall 2021. A total of 184 adults were enrolled into the following groups: (1) brick-and-mortar "BM" (control participants only received reminders to submit weekly grocery shopping receipts); (2) online-only with no support "O" (participants received weekly reminders to grocery shop online and to submit itemized receipts); and (3) online shopping with intervention nudges "O+I" (participants received nudges three times per week to grocery shop online, meal ideas, recipes, Facebook group support, and weekly reminders to shop online and to submit itemized receipts). On average, reported food spending on F/V by the O+I participants was USD 6.84 more compared to the BM arm. Online shopping with behavioral nudges and nutrition information shows great promise for helping customers in diverse locations to navigate the increasing presence of online grocery shopping platforms and to improve F&V purchases.

We conducted an online consumer survey in May 2020 in two major metropolitan areas in the United States to investigate food shopping behaviors and consumption during the pandemic lockdown caused by COVID-19. The results of this study parallel many of the headlines in the popular press at the time. We found that about three-quarters of respondents were simply buying the food they could get due to out of stock situations and about half the participants bought more food than usual. As a result of foodservice closures, consumers indicated purchasing more groceries than normal. Consumers attempted to avoid shopping in stores, relying heavily on grocery delivery and pick-up services during the beginning of the pandemic when no clear rules were in place. Results show a 255% increase in the number of households that use grocery pickup as a shopping method and a 158% increase in households that utilize grocery delivery services. The spike in pickup and delivery program participation can be explained by consumers fearing COVID-19 and feeling unsafe. Food consumption patterns for major food groups seemed to stay the same for the majority of participants, but a large share indicated that they had been snacking more since the beginning of the pandemic which was offset by a sharp decline in fast food consumption., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Minority children living in under-resourced communities are at the greatest risk for obesity and poor diet quality. Child involvement in meal preparation may be a helpful strategy to improve diet quality. This paper explores minority children's perspectives regarding this. Eighteen children participated in a mixed methods study (online surveys, telephone interviews). Descriptive statistics were calculated for child demographic and psychosocial factors. Thematic analysis was used to code and analyze the interviews. Most children reported having cooking experience (83%) and cooking with family (94%) and exhibited high cooking self-efficacy (21.8 ± 2.9) and positive cooking attitudes (25.7 ± 4.4). Children reported helping with meal preparation (50%) and grocery shopping (41%) sometimes. The qualitative data further supported the results obtained from the children's psychosocial factors. Most children noted the importance of learning to cook with an emphasis on life skills. Children also shared their level of involvement in cooking and grocery shopping. Most children reported using technology when cooking to find demonstration videos and recipes. These findings highlight that minority children participate in meal preparation and grocery shopping. Their perspectives are important for the development of nutrition education programs to achieve equitable dietary outcomes in minority families living in under-resourced communities.

Early adolescence is a critical time for health behavior development because agency increases during the transition from childhood to adolescence. This qualitative study sought to identify how early adolescent participants described food-related agency. One-on-one interviews were conducted with 30 early adolescents (10-13 years). Data analysis was guided by Bandura's three modes of agency: personal, proxy, and collective. Results suggest participants' food behaviors were informed by a growing knowledge about nutrition, household food rules, and school food environments. Participants described different modes of agency in four areas - grocery shopping, cooking, consumption decisions, and nutrition information seeking - with varying degrees of agency in each area. Understanding how each of the three modes operate and the interplay between them can information future research aimed at improving the nutrition behaviors of early adolescents., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

During COVID-19 lockdown, individuals were asked to leave their home only to meet the most urgent needs, such as grocery purchases and medical emergencies. This study aimed to know the consumers' health safety practices and their concerns toward grocery shopping and to know their adoption of healthier food as a result of the outbreak. An online survey was conducted during the second month of the COVID-19 lockdown. This study includes 212 respondents. Appropriate statistical tools were used to analyze the data. The findings of the study revealed that females were ahead compared to males in pursuing health safety practices during grocery shopping, but the frequency of following physical distancing for both males and females was not up to the mark. The most important concern about grocery shopping was fear of unavailability of stocks and fear of getting infected from grocery storekeepers. It was also found that, compared to earlier, people had reduced their frequency of grocery shopping and tried to shop quickly and efficiently. People bought more packaged foods and also made purchases from brands that were new to them. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of healthier food habits varied significantly with gender, age, and household income of the respondents. This study indicates that there is a need to raise awareness among people on how to shop safely in grocery stores and that good hygiene practice should be followed in grocery stores to mitigate the risk of infection to consumers., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objective: Online grocery shopping could improve access to healthy food, but it may not be equally accessible to all populations - especially those at higher risk for food insecurity. The current study aimed to compare the socio-demographic characteristics of families who ordered groceries online v. those who only shopped in-store., Design: We analysed enrollment survey and 44 weeks of individually linked grocery transaction data. We used univariate χ2 and t-tests and logistic regression to assess differences in socio-demographic characteristics between households that only shopped in-store and those that shopped online with curbside pickup (online only or online and in-store)., Setting: Two Maine supermarkets., Participants: 863 parents or caregivers of children under 18 years old enrolled in two fruit and vegetable incentive trials., Results: Participants had a total of 32 757 transactions. In univariate assessments, online shoppers had higher incomes (P < 0 0001), were less likely to participate in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP; P < 0 0001) and were more likely to be female (P = 0·04). Most online shoppers were 30-39 years old, and few were 50 years or older (P = 0·003). After controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, number of children, number of adults, income and SNAP participation, female primary shoppers (OR = 2·75, P = 0·003), number of children (OR = 1·27, P = 0·04) and income (OR = 3·91 for 186-300 % federal poverty line (FPL) and OR = 6·92 for >300 % FPL, P < 0·0001) were significantly associated with likelihood of shopping online., Conclusions: In the current study of Maine families, low-income shoppers were significantly less likely to utilise online grocery ordering with curbside pickup. Future studies could focus on elucidating barriers and developing strategies to improve access.

The objective of this study was to explore the associations between food waste and the diet quality of foods purchased and with grocery purchasing behaviors. This was a cross-sectional study among 109 primary household food providers conducting primary shopping. Participants were recruited outside of local grocery stores and were asked to complete a survey assessing amounts of avoidable food waste and grocery purchasing behaviors. The diet quality of the foods purchased was assessed from grocery receipts using the Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016 (GPQI-2016). Variables were associated using linear regression, analysis of covariance, and point biserial correlations. We found that fresh fruits (63%) and leafy greens (70%) were the foods that were the most wasted. The GPQI-2016 total score was significantly inversely associated with the total amount of food wasted (β  =  -0.63; 95% CI: -1.14,-0.12) after adjusting for important confounders. The reason "food past the date printed on the package" was directly correlated with food wasted (r = 0.40; p < 0.01) but inversely correlated with GPQI-2016 score (r = -0.21; p = 0.04). Food wasted, but not the GPQI-2016 score, was significantly higher among those who grocery shop 2-4 times per week compared to 1 time every 1-2 weeks ( p = 0.02). In conclusion, food waste is inversely associated with diet quality and directly associated with grocery purchasing frequency.

Objective: The food retail environment is an important determinant of food access and the ability to achieve a healthy diet. However, immigrant communities may procure their food in different ways than the mainstream population owing to preferences for specific cultural products or limited English language proficiency. The objective of this analysis was to describe the grocery shopping patterns and behaviours of one of the largest immigrant groups in New York City, Chinese Americans - a group experiencing high poverty and cardio-metabolic disparities., Design: Cross-sectional survey data., Setting: Community-based sample., Participants: Self-identified Chinese Americans in the New York metropolitan area (n 239)., Results: Three shopping patterns were identified: type 1: shopped weekly at an ethnic grocery store - and nowhere else; type 2: shopped weekly at a non-ethnic grocery store, with occasional shopping at an ethnic store and type 3: did not perform weekly shopping. Type 1 v. type 2 shoppers tended to have lower education levels (37·5 v. 78·0 % with college degree); to be on public insurance (57·6 v. 22·8 %); speak English less well (18·4 v. 41·4 %); be food insecure (47·2 v. 24·2 %; P < 0·01 for all) and to travel nearly two miles further to shop at their primary grocery store (β = -1·55; 95 % CI -2·81, -0·30)., Discussion: There are distinct grocery shopping patterns amongst urban-dwelling Chinese Americans corresponding to demographic and sociocultural factors that may help inform health interventions in this understudied group. Similar patterns may exist among other immigrant groups, lending preliminary support for an alternative conceptualisation of how immigrant communities interact with the food retail environment.

The effects of COVID-19 are continuing to increase around the world as the pandemic claims thousands of lives. Bangladesh is no exception and has been greatly affected by SARS-CoV-2. Apart from the number of people who are or have been directly getting infected with this disease, millions of people are directly or indirectly facing many challenges to their livelihoods and the security of their food and nutritional supply, along with other societal issues created by the pandemic. In this study, a hybrid approach of online and telephone questionnaire surveys was used to investigate the food security of Dhaka city's inhabitants at household level. Approximately 80% of the respondents reported reduced income, and a quarter of respondents lost their jobs between March and June 2020. The frequency of fish consumption, an essential component of Bangladeshi diets, significantly reduced during the pandemic. This was especially apparent in affluent segments of the community. Out of the respondents, 75% reported an increase in the price of fish in Dhaka city. A range of coping strategies were observed: including decreasing the frequency of grocery shopping, shifting to online shopping, reducing consumption of high price commodities, reducing junk food consumption, cleaning fish and meat with hot water and vinegar, and increasing the consumption of protein and vitamin C rich food items. Prior to COVID-19, 80% of the households surveyed bought fish from wet markets. This number dropped to 45% during the pandemic. Many households substituted fish and meat with poultry, eggs and dried fish. About half of the households stockpiled rice, lentils and potatoes during the peak of the pandemic. However, if the pandemic lasts for a prolonged period, those living on low incomes in urban areas will experience some level of food insecurity from a reduced income or loss of work. Because of this, a large-scale sustainability policy should be undertaken to secure the food and nutritional security of low-income and middle-class household., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest, (© 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: The 'Primary Care SHOPping Intervention for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention' (PCSHOP) trial tested the effectiveness and feasibility of a behavioural intervention to reduce saturated fat in food purchases. The intervention offered feedback from data collected through a supermarket loyalty card to supplement brief advice from a nurse. This qualitative study aimed to describe participants' experiences of receiving this intervention., Methods: We conducted semi-structured, one-to-one, telephone interviews with participants from the PCSHOP trial. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We employed the one sheet of paper technique and a thematic analysis to develop high-level themes in NVivo software., Results: Twenty-four participants were interviewed (mean age: 63 years (SD 12)). They reported that the brief advice did not provide any new information but they welcomed the sense of accountability the nurse provided. The personalised shopping feedback and healthier swap suggestions provided novel information that challenged previously held beliefs about the saturated fat content of food purchases and encouraged some positive dietary changes. However, the taste preferences of the participant or other household members were a barrier to changing food shopping behaviours., Conclusion: Harnessing loyalty card data is a novel and acceptable method to offering personalised dietary feedback. Yet, issues on the suitability of the healthier swap suggestions limited the extent of dietary change., Trial Registration: ISRCTN14279335. Registered 1 September 2017.

Background: Travel surveys show that the amount of private car driving in Norway has increased significantly since the mid-1980s. Private car driving has for a long time been the main mode of transport for retail and service trips, and grocery shopping trips represent over 60% of the retail and service travels. Despite the growing number of studies addressing accessibility to daily destinations, to the best of the authors' knowledge there are no studies examining these issues over time., Methods: This paper aims to investigate changes in accessibility to grocery stores over time and use two counties in Norway as examples. Based on GIS data at a detailed level, distances from dwellings to nearest grocery store has been examined., Findings: The results from the spatial analyses reveal significant changes from 1980 to 2019: The share of the population living within 500-m from a grocery store has decreased from 55% to 34% in one of the counties examined and from 36% to 19% in the other. This indicates that the share of people living within walking distance to a local grocery store has nearly halved. With such changes in accessibility to grocery stores, increased car driving for grocery shopping should not come as a surprise. Contrary to the frequent statements about sustainable urban development and active transportation, it seems that Norway still is developing as a country that in the future will be more and not less dependent on private cars., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThere are no financial or non-financial competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2021.)

Prospection has helped participants forego the temptation to buy and eat higher calorie nutrient poor foods in favor of buying and eating fewer calories and healthier macronutrient profiles in laboratory tasks and brief field studies. This pilot study examines whether episodic future thinking (EFT) improves mothers' dietary behavior and food purchasing over a longer 7-10-day period. The study utilized a 2 × 2 factorial design with mothers (N = 60) randomized to EFT or standardized episodic thinking (SET) crossed with dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet education or a food safety education control. Participants listened to their cues (e.g., recordings of themselves imagining a future event or recalling a past episode) using a mobile ecological momentary intervention (EMI) tool and returned to complete a follow-up dietary recall and submit food receipts. Results showed diets of mothers in the EFT groups became more concordant with the DASH diet (η p 2  = 0.08, p < .05) than mothers in the SET group. When considering food purchases for the family, there was an EFT effect on milligrams of sodium purchased (η p 2  = 0.07, p < .05) and a trend towards a decrease in grams of fat purchased (η p 2  = 0.06, p = .06), however, these findings were no longer significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. There were no DASH education effects and no DASH by EFT interactions observed. The dietary intake and food purchasing results should be replicated in larger more representative samples., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The rapid growth of e-commerce and package deliveries across the globe is demanding new solutions to meet customers' desire for more and faster deliveries. New driverless air and ground vehicles are being launched and tested to deliver products or services in the areas of retail, groceries, and healthcare. This research focuses on the efficiency of autonomous (driverless) air and ground delivery vehicles in terms of vehicle-miles, energy consumption, and CO 2 emissions. Three types of autonomous vehicle are analyzed: drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), sidewalk autonomous delivery robots (SADRs), and road autonomous delivery robots (RADRs). The CO 2 emissions of these autonomous vehicles are compared against emissions from an electric van (e-van), a conventional internal combustion engine van, and driving to a store utilizing electric and conventional vehicles. The impacts of vehicle capacity, range, and time constraints are analyzed as well as the impacts of number of deliveries, service time, area of service, and depot-service area distance. Novel results are found regarding the efficiency of each vehicle type and tradeoffs between driving to a store and store delivery as a function of order size and type of vehicle driven by consumers., (© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Previous research showed associations between personality traits and eye movements of young adults in the laboratory. However, less is known about these associations in real life and in older age. Primarily, there seems to be no paradigm to assess eye movements of older adults in real life. The present feasibility study thus aimed to test grocery shopping as a real-life assessment paradigm with older adults. Additionally, possible links between personality traits and eye movements were explored. The sample consisted of 38 older individuals (M = 72.85 years). Participants did their grocery shopping in a supermarket while wearing an eye tracker. Three key feasibility issues were examined, that is (1) wearability of the eye tracker during grocery shopping, (2) recording, and (3) evaluation of eye movements in a real-life context. Our real-life assessment paradigm showed to be feasible to implement and acceptable to older adults. This feasibility study provides specific practical recommendations which may be useful for future studies that plan to innovatively expand the traditional methods repertoire of personality science and aging research by using eye tracking in real life., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the contents of the article are in agreement with the ethics described in http://biblio.unibe.ch/portale/elibrary/BOP/jemr/ethics.html and that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

In our earlier research, kinematic and kinetic parameters of grasping differed significantly when participants grasped the same object once in a traditional laboratory paradigm, and once as part of a captivating computer game. We attributed this finding to the fact that grasping movements in the laboratory were repetitive and meaningless, while those in the computer game were embedded in complex behavior and served a meaningful purpose. In that work, we argued that grasping in the computer game is more characteristic of everyday life behavior; however, this conclusion has been criticized on the grounds that a computer game is not a typical everyday activity. The present study therefore compares grasping in a traditional laboratory paradigm to that in an indisputably everyday context: grocery shopping. Thirty-three young adults executed externally triggered arm movements to grasp nondescript objects (laboratory task, L) and place them on a tablet, or they walked through a fictitious grocery store towards a shelf to grasp grocery products and placed them into a shopping basket (everyday-like task, E). Size, shape, weight and location of to-be-grasped objects were identical in both tasks. We found that of the analyzed 16 kinematic parameters, 13 differed significantly between tasks. Specifically, grip apertures were larger, movements were slower and grip-transport coupling was more variable in E compared to L. We conclude that kinematic differences between both persist even if task is more realistic than in our earlier research. Our findings are compatible with the notion that movement planning is less stringent in E than in L.

Introduction: A diet high in saturated fat (SFA) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and intakes in the UK exceed dietary recommendations. The Primary Care Shopping Intervention for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention (PC-SHOP) study aims to test the effect of an intervention for people with raised low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol involving health professional (HP) advice alone, or in combination with personalised feedback based on nutritional analysis of grocery store loyalty card data, on SFA intake and blood lipids in comparison with no intervention., Methods and Analysis: PC-SHOP is a three-arm parallel randomised controlled trial with an allocation ratio of 1:3:3 ('no intervention': n=16, 'brief support': n=48, 'brief support plus shopping feedback': n=48, respectively). Participants with raised LDL will be recruited from general practitioner (GP) practices for a 3-month intervention period. In brief support, an HP will deliver a behaviourally informed 10 min consultation and provide a written self-help guide to inform and motivate people to reduce their SFA intake. In brief support plus shopping feedback, the participants will receive the same HP-led behavioural support and, based on data from their grocery store loyalty card, personalised feedback on the SFA content of their grocery shopping, identifying high SFA purchases and suggesting swaps to similar but lower SFA items.Measurements for the primary and secondary outcomes will be collected at baseline and at follow-up (3 months). The primary outcome measure will be the between-group difference in the reduction of SFA intake between baseline and follow-up. Secondary outcomes include changes in blood lipids and SFA content of food purchases, with process measures to consider the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention., Ethics and Dissemination: This study has been reviewed and approved by the National Health Service Health Research Authority Research Ethics Committee (Ref: 17/SC/0168). The trial findings will be disseminated to academic and HPs through presentations at meetings and peer-reviewed journals and to the public through the media. If the intervention is effective, the results will be communicated to relevant stakeholders, including policymakers and retailers., Trial Registration Number: ISRCTN14279335; Pre-results., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Background: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program is an important intervention for prevention and treatment of obesity and food insecurity, but participation has dropped among eligible populations from 2009 to 2015. Program satisfaction is integral to participant retention, and the retail experience is a vital component of program satisfaction., Objective: This article applies behavioral economics principles to explore the retail experience of WIC participants and ways in which it may be improved., Design: The authors designed and conducted semistructured interviews and focus groups with WIC participants., Participants/setting: A convenience sample of WIC participants aged 18 years and older were recruited through WIC clinics in Texas, North Carolina, Oregon, and Illinois (n=55, 27 participants from four focus groups and 28 individual interviews)., Statistical Analysis Conducted: Responses were analyzed qualitatively using principles of content analysis., Results: Challenges in identifying WIC-allowable items throughout the store as well as perceived stigmatization during the checkout process were the chief complaints. Study participants described a learning curve in successful use of WIC in retail environments over time. Study participants also reported acceptance of restrictions, such as a requirement to purchase the least expensive brand., Conclusions: Dissatisfaction with the retail experience may lead to the underutilization of WIC benefits or program exit. Behavioral economics strategies that facilitate a better shopping experience, such as creating a section for WIC items in the store or improving in-store education, may improve the retail experience for WIC customers. Further research is needed to ensure such strategies are effective and do not contribute to stigma., (Copyright © 2019 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Offering consumers the opportunity to swap to lower-salt foods while shopping has potential to reduce salt intake. Offering a wider range of alternatives which are much lower in salt could increase the magnitude of salt reduction gained but may interfere with consumers' engagement and willingness to accept swaps., Objectives: To compare the salt reduction from offering swaps to a similar product but with minimally less salt to offering swaps with a substantial salt reduction including a range of alternative foods., Methods: In an experimental, randomised trial conducted in a virtual online supermarket, participants with high blood pressure were asked to buy 12 items of food. One group was offered similar alternatives with 5-20% less salt (LS swaps); and the other group was offered these LS swaps and alternatives with >20% less salt (MLS swaps). The primary outcome was the change in salt density of the shopping basket (g/100g) from initially selected items, to the final items chosen., Results: 947 participants completed the task and were included in the analysis. There was a significant reduction in salt content of the final selected shopping basket in both groups; with a significantly greater reduction in the group offered LS + MLS swaps (-0.09g/100g, 95% C.I. -0.10, -0.07; p < 0.001). The proportion of swaps accepted was the same in both groups and the mean salt reduction per swap accepted in the group offered LS + MLS swaps was more than double that of the group offered LS swaps alone. 30% of MLS swaps accepted were from a different food subcategory., Conclusions: Offering alternative products with a large reduction in salt, including potentially dissimilar products, does not decrease acceptability and leads to significantly greater reductions in the salt content of the shopping basket., Trial Registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN91306993. Registered 5th February 2018 - retrospectively registered. https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN91306993., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Household food purchases are potential indicators of the quality of the home food environment, and grocery purchase behavior is a main focus of US Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition education programs; therefore, objective measures of grocery purchases are needed., Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016 (GPQI-2016) as a tool for assessing grocery food purchase quality by using the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) as the reference standard., Design: In 2012, the USDA Economic Research Service conducted the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey. Members of participating households recorded all foods acquired for a week. Foods purchased at stores were mapped to the 29 food categories used in USDA Food Plans, expenditure shares were estimated, and GPQI-2016 scores were calculated. USDA food codes, provided in the survey database, were used to calculate the HEI-2015., Participants/setting: All households in the 48 coterminous states were eligible for the survey. The analytic sample size was 4,276 households., Main Outcome Measures: GPQI-2016 and HEI-2015 scores were compared., Statistical Analyses Performed: Correlation of scores was assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. Linear regression models with fixed effects were used to determine differences among various subgroups of households., Results: The correlation coefficient for the total GPQI-2016 score and the total HEI-2015 score was 0.70. For the component scores, the strongest correlations were for Total and Whole Fruit (0.89 to 0.90); the weakest were for Dairy (0.67), Refined Grains (0.66), and Sweets and Sodas/Added Sugars (0.65) (all, P<0.01). Both the GPQI-2016 and HEI-2015 were significantly different among subgroups in expected directions., Conclusions: Overall, the GPQI-2016, estimated from a national survey of households, performed similarly to the HEI-2015. The tool has potential for evaluating nutrition education programs and retail-oriented interventions when the nutrient content and gram weights of foods purchased are not available., (Copyright © 2019 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Contamination on the exterior surfaces of raw poultry packages can be transmitted to hands and food contact surfaces during shopping and handling. This study compared the level of microbial contamination and prevalence of foodborne pathogens on the surfaces of raw poultry packages as related to the types of products, types of packaging, and packaging conditions. Packages of whole chicken, cut-up chicken (breast and leg quarter), and ground turkey were purchased from retail stores. Aerobic plate counts (APCs) were significantly different ( P < 0.05) among types of products and packaging materials, with ground turkey packages and the heat-sealed, high-walled containers being the lowest. APCs were significantly lower ( P < 0.05) when the packages were intact and tight compared with intact and loose. Of the 105 packages, there were 10 (9.5%) with the presence of either Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) or Campylobacter; of those packages, 6 (5.7%) were positive for STEC, 7 (6.7%) were positive for Campylobacter, and 3 (2.9%) were positive for both pathogens on the surfaces. Salmonella was not detected on the surfaces of all tested packages. Surfaces of whole chicken packages were significantly ( P < 0.001) more likely to have detectable levels of Campylobacter and STEC than those of cut-up chicken packages. Packages that were positive for Campylobacter and/or STEC had significantly ( P < 0.005) higher APCs than negative packages. The results suggested that STEC is another significant pathogen present on the surfaces of poultry packages in addition to Campylobacter. The presence of STEC on the external packaging of raw poultry raises a concern because consumers may not expect such pathogens on the surfaces of poultry packages.

Holding asymmetrical loads in the hands is common during many daily and occupational activities which, depending on the load mass, may alter postural stability. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of load magnitude held asymmetrically in the hand on postural sway in older people. Eighteen healthy older adults (age 65.9 ± 5.7 years) were assessed in the following conditions; (1) standing without an external load (0%), (2) standing while holding a grocery bag containing 5%, (3) 10% and (4) 20% body mass in the dominant hand. The total displacement of the centre of pressure (COP) in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions (cm), mean COP velocity (cm s -1 ) and COP area (cm 2 ) were used to indirectly assess postural sway. The COP area (R 2  = 0.96), anteroposterior (R 2  = 0.85) and mediolateral (R 2  = 0.84) COP displacement increased linearly with additional load. The 20% load condition elicited the greatest increase in postural sway (d = 2.1-3.6) compared to 0%, while the 5% load had no effects on sway (P ≥ 0.05). In contrast, the mean COP velocity decreased by similar amounts when holding a load at 5% (d = 1.6), 10% (d = 1.4) and 20% (d = 1.5) body mass, compared to 0% (all P < 0.001). The slower COP velocity, combined with greater COP displacements may suggest that postural reactions were restricted and/or delayed. From a fall-prevention perspective, it is advised that older people avoid holding asymmetrical external loads greater than 5% of body mass.

Raw poultry products often are contaminated with Salmonella and Campylobacter, and these bacteria can be transmitted through meat juice on the packages. An observational study was conducted to assess consumer exposure to meat juice during shopping and to quantify the transmission of meat juice from poultry packages to hands and other surfaces. Ninety-six participants completed the shopping study; 402 swabs were collected and analyzed for the presence of meat juice by an immunoassay. Overall, meat juice was detected on 61% of poultry package surfaces, 34% of shoppers' hands, 41% of grocery bags, 60% of kitchen surfaces, and 51% of food item surfaces. When meat juice was detected on the purchased poultry packages, the chance of the meat juice being on the shopper's hands, grocery bags, food items, and kitchen surfaces was significantly higher ( P < 0.005) compared with packages on which meat juice was not present. Shoppers who had poultry wrapped separately during checkout had a significantly lower ( P < 0.05) chance of meat juice on the food items. However, using plastic bags and wrapping poultry separately did not significantly reduce the likelihood of meat juice on kitchen surfaces at home due to consumers' practices of repackaging before storage. Results suggested that the transfer of meat juice through direct contact with the poultry packages is a major concern during shopping and should be prevented.

Displaying bundles of healthy foods at the grocery store is a health nudge that simplifies shopping and may have the potential for increasing fruit and vegetable (F&V) purchasing. To evaluate the impact of food bundling, we conduct an artefactual field experiment with community participants in a laboratory set up as a grocery store. Dual-self theory suggests that food choices may differ depending on whether shoppers are under cognitive load - in our experiment, we exogenously vary whether bundles are displayed (with and without a price discount) and whether shoppers are under cognitive load. Our findings align with prior studies that suggest unhealthy options are more likely to be selected when cognitive resources are constrained. When bundles are displayed, we observe increased F&V purchasing. We also observe a significant interaction between cognitive load and price discounting. We find discounted bundles are more effective in the absence of cognitive load, but non-discounted bundles are more effective when shoppers are under cognitive load. Although more research is warranted, our findings suggest that when shopping under cognitive load, it is possible that discounts impose additional cognitive strain on the shopping experience. For retailers and policymakers, our results point to the potential power of bundling as a strategy for increasing healthy food purchasing., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyse the association between food store type and the consumption of ultra-processed products in Brazil., Design: Data from the 2008-2009 Household Budget Survey involving a probabilistic sample of 55 970 Brazilian households. Food stores were grouped into nine categories. Foods and drinks were grouped according to characteristics of food processing. The contribution of each food store type to the total energy acquired from each food processing group, and according to quintiles of consumption of ultra-processed products, was estimated. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify a pattern of food store usage. Linear regression models were performed to estimate the relationship between the purchase pattern and the consumption of ultra-processed products., Results: In line with their larger market share, supermarkets accounted for 59 % of total energy and participated most in acquisition for three food groups, with emphasis on ultra-processed products (60·4 % of energy). The participation of supermarkets in total purchase tended to increase in populations with higher consumption of ultra-processed products, while the participation of small markets and small producers tended to decrease. The purchase pattern characterized by use of traditional retail (street fairs and vendors, small markets, small farmers, butcheries) was associated with a smaller consumption of ultra-processed products., Conclusions: Food policies and interventions aiming to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed products should consider the influence of supermarkets on the consumption of these products. A purchase pattern based on traditional retail constitutes an important tool for promoting healthy eating in Brazil.

In visual marketing, the truism that "unseen is unsold" means that products that are not noticed will not be sold. This truism rests on the idea that the consumer choice process is heavily influenced by visual search. However, given that the majority of available products are not seen by consumers, this article examines the role of peripheral vision in guiding attention during the consumer choice process. In two eye-tracking studies, one conducted in a lab facility and the other conducted in a supermarket, the authors investigate the role and limitations of peripheral vision. The results show that peripheral vision is used to direct visual attention when discriminating between target and non-target objects in an eye-tracking laboratory. Target and non-target similarity, as well as visual saliency of non-targets, constitute the boundary conditions for this effect, which generalizes from instruction-based laboratory tasks to preference-based choice tasks in a real supermarket setting. Thus, peripheral vision helps customers to devote a larger share of attention to relevant products during the consumer choice process. Taken together, the results show how the creation of consideration set (sets of possible choice options) relies on both goal-directed attention and peripheral vision. These results could explain how visually similar packaging positively influences market leaders, while making novel brands almost invisible on supermarket shelves. The findings show that even though unsold products might be unseen, in the sense that they have not been directly observed, they might still have been evaluated and excluded by means of peripheral vision. This article is based on controlled lab experiments as well as a field study conducted in a complex retail environment. Thus, the findings are valid both under controlled and ecologically valid conditions., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess relationships between mothers' feeding practices (food as a reward, food for emotion regulation, modelling of healthy eating) and mothers' willingness to purchase child-marketed foods and fruits/vegetables (F&V) requested by their children during grocery co-shopping., Design: Cross-sectional. Mothers completed an online survey that included questions about feeding practices and willingness (i.e. intentions) to purchase child-requested foods during grocery co-shopping. Feeding practices scores were dichotomized at the median. Foods were grouped as nutrient-poor or nutrient-dense (F&V) based on national nutrition guidelines. Regression models compared mothers with above-the-median v. at-or-below-the-median feeding practices scores on their willingness to purchase child-requested food groupings, adjusting for demographic covariates., Setting: Participants completed an online survey generated at a public university in the USA., Subjects: Mothers (n 318) of 2- to 7-year-old children., Results: Mothers who scored above-the-median on using food as a reward were more willing to purchase nutrient-poor foods (β=0·60, P<0·0001), mothers who scored above-the-median on use of food for emotion regulation were more willing to purchase nutrient-poor foods (β=0·29, P<0·0031) and mothers who scored above-the-median on modelling of healthy eating were more willing to purchase nutrient-dense foods (β=0·22, P<0·001) than were mothers with at-or-below-the-median scores, adjusting for demographic covariates., Conclusions: Mothers who reported using food to control children's behaviour were more willing to purchase child-requested, nutrient-poor foods. Parental feeding practices may facilitate or limit children's foods requested in grocery stores. Parent-child food consumer behaviours should be investigated as a route that may contribute to children's eating patterns.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of a grocery store tour for parents and their adolescents being led by adults or adolescent peers., Design: Randomized controlled pilot study with surveys at baseline and post-program, and at 3- and 6-month follow-up., Setting: Midwestern midsized grocery stores., Participants: Sixty-one parents and their 71 11- to 14-year-old adolescents., Intervention: Nutrition education during 1 90-minute grocery store tour., Main Outcome Measures: Process observations and participants' tour perceptions provided fidelity outcomes. Questionnaires quantitatively assessed participants' knowledge, self-efficacy, and tour strategy use., Analysis: Chi-square and McNemar tests were used to analyze categorical data, and Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon signed-rank, and Mann-Whitney U tests were employed for continuous variables (significance at P < .05)., Results: Over 90% of tour tasks were rated as completed well for adult and peer leaders. Participants had positive tour perceptions but noted deficiencies in teen leaders' knowledge and leadership skills. Overall, parents and adolescents retained increased self-efficacy from pre-tour to post-tour intervals. Despite limited knowledge retention, parents reported they had increased (6.5 ± 4.19) healthful grocery shopping behaviors in the 6 months after the intervention., Conclusions and Implications: Peers may feasibly lead grocery store tours but they may need additional resources and support to be highly effective., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Information on grocery shopping patterns is one key to understanding dietary changes in recent years in Spain. This report presents an overview of Spanish food shopping patterns in the adult population. A cross-sectional, nationally representative telephone survey was conducted in Spain. Individuals were asked about food shopping responsibility roles, types of visited food stores, time spent, additional behaviors while shopping, the influence of marketing/advertising and, in particular, fresh produce shopping profile. Binary logistic regression models were developed. The final random sample included 2026 respondents aged ≥18 years, of which 1223 were women and 803 were men. Women reported being in charge of most of the food shopping activities. Looking for best prices, more than looking for healthy or sustainable foods, seemed to be a general behavior. Supermarkets were the preferred retail spaces for food price consideration, convenience, variety and availability. Fresh produce shopping was associated with traditional markets and neighborhood stores in terms of reliance and personalized service. It is essential to highlight the importance of the role played by women. They are the main supporters concerned in preserving adequate dietary habits. Economic factors, more than health or food sustainability, are commonly considered by the population. Traditional markets may play an important role in preserving some healthy dietary habits of the Mediterranean food culture in Spain., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

The objective of this study was to observe parent-child interactions in tiendas, limited assortment food stores catering to Latinos in the United States, and to examine the extent to which child involvement influenced these interactions and their purchase outcomes. Two confederates, one posing as a tienda employee and one posing as a customer, observed the entire shopping trip of 100 Latino parent-child (mean age = 8 years) dyads and coded the following: number and type of parent- and child-initiated request interactions, types of purchase influence attempts used by children and how parents responded, and whether the product was purchased. Level of child involvement was examined as a potential influencing factor on purchasing. The observations were relatively short (mean duration of 10 minutes), reflecting the "quick trip" nature of the observed shopping trips. From the 100 parent-child dyads, 144 request interactions were observed, and among dyads with at least 1 request interaction during the shopping trip, the average number of request interactions per dyad was 2. Children initiated most of the request interactions by asking for a product or simply placing it in the basket; parents initiated 24% of the request interactions. Child involvement in shopping and checkout were associated with spending and purchase outcomes. These results indicate that children and parents influence each other during grocery shopping, and children who are more involved have greater influence over purchases. Furthermore, this study identified a number of targets for future family/parent and consumer food environment interventions.