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Background: Eating habits established during the preschool stage may last a lifetime, underlining the importance of choosing and purchasing healthy foods for proper nutrition. Aim: To assess the associations between place of food purchase and dietary intake and quality in Spanish preschool children. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was carried out within the framework of the SEguimiento del Niño para un Desarrollo Óptimo (SENDO) project. Data were collected using (1) the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), from which dietary nutrient intake and diet quality (NOVA System classification and KIDMED index) were analysed, and (2) the baseline food habits questionnaire, which asked about the food purchase outlet. Data were analysed by logistic regression, considering the intra-group correlation between siblings and using the type of food purchase outlet as a grouping variable. Results: Children from families shopping in hypermarkets consumed fewer nutrients, less minimally processed foods, as well as less fruit and vegetables than children from families shopping in specialised shops. Conclusions: Food shopping in specialised outlets can improve the quality of children's diets, promoting healthier habits such as greater adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and increasing the consumption of minimally processed foods. This has a positive impact on children's long-term health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer simulations used to study food purchasing behavior can be separated into low immersion virtual environments (LIVE), which use personal computers and standard monitors to display a scene, and high immersion virtual environments (HIVE) which use virtual reality technology such as head-mounted displays to display a scene. These methods may differ in their ability to create feelings of presence or cybersickness that would influence the usefulness of these approaches. In this present study, thirty-one adults experienced a virtual supermarket or fast-food restaurant using a LIVE system or a HIVE system. Feelings of presence and cybersickness were measured using questionnaires or physiological responses (heart rate and electrodermal activity). The participants were also asked to rate their ability to complete the set task. The results of this study indicate that participants reported a higher sense of presence in the HIVE scenes as compared to the LIVE scenes (p < 0.05). The participant's heart rate and electrodermal activity were significantly higher in the HIVE scene treatment when compared to the LIVE scene (p < 0.05). There was no difference in the participant's ability to complete tasks in the different scenes. In addition, feelings of cybersickness were not different between the HIVE and LIVE scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disinfectants purchased from retail outlets form the cornerstone of infection control and prevention within the domestic household. The growing utilisation of the concept of "hospital-at-home" places greater emphasis on domestic disinfection by the householder in helping to prevent the acquisition of infections within the home. No reports or data exist that indicate how readable the information provided on disinfectants is, which would help householders use disinfectants optimally. The aim of this study was therefore to quantitatively examine the readability (Flesch Reading Ease; Flesch–Kinkaid Grade Level; text metrics) of consumer (public)-facing information (n = 108) of domestic household disinfectants sourced from (i) UK high street supermarket chains (n = 4) and (ii) disinfectant manufacturers (n = 6). The readability of all supermarket and manufacturer information (n = 108) gave a mean Flesch Reading Ease score of 51.7 (target ≥ 60) and a Flesch–Kinkaid Grade Level score of 8.1 (target ≤ 8), thereby failing to achieve readability reference target values. Authors preparing information on the domestic use of disinfectants should be aware of the value of quantitative readability metrics and online tools to help support their writing of such information in order to produce materials which are within target readability values, thereby further supporting health literacy in this population and disinfectant efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying causes of food waste at grocery retail level is crucial for the development of effective measures to reduce waste. Frontline employees manage food waste in their day-to-day operations; however, there is a paucity of research that draws attention to their knowledge of and approach to causes and measures to reduce food waste. In this empirical study, a mixed methods approach is adopted, using multiple interviews and participatory observations with employees, and primary quantitative data on fruit and vegetable waste for one year from the supermarkets. The results illuminate the fact that the role of employees is central for reducing food waste, and from their perspective, the causes and measures can be divided into four different main themes covering policy, practice, people and product. The analysis involves 73 different fruit and vegetables categories, and the fruit and vegetables waste at the three supermarkets is 60 tonnes. The results also reveal different causes for different fruit and vegetables categories, implying that generic descriptions of causes are not enough to use as bases for planning reduction measures. The paper provides a base for planning and implementing reduction measures for the grocery retail sector, which contribute to a sustainable food supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Most people in Australia buy most of their food in supermarkets. Marketing techniques promoting healthy foods in supermarkets can be important to encourage healthy eating at a population level. Shelf tags that highlight the healthiness of products have been identified as one such promising initiative. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the healthiness of foods sold in an Australian supermarket chain following implementation of a shelf tag intervention based on the Australian Health Star Rating (HSR) system. Methods: A controlled, non-randomised trial was undertaken in seven supermarkets (intervention: n = 3; control: n = 4) of a single chain in Victoria, Australia, over 12 weeks (4 weeks baseline, 8 weeks intervention period) between August and November 2015. The intervention involved provision of a shelf tag indicating the HSR of all packaged products that scored 4.5 or 5 stars ('high-HSR products') using the Australian HSR system. Posters indicating the healthiness of fresh fruits and vegetables (not eligible for an HSR rating, as they are not packaged) were also installed. Weekly per store sales data were provided by the retailer. In an intention-to-treat analysis (with intervention status of individual products based on their eligibility to be tagged), the proportion (%) of all 'high-HSR' packaged food sold and the volume of key nutrients (saturated fat, total fat, sodium, total sugar, protein, carbohydrates and energy) per 100 g sold were assessed. Difference-in-difference analyses were conducted to determine the difference between intervention and control stores in terms of mean outcomes between baseline and intervention periods. Customer exit surveys (n = 304) were conducted to evaluate awareness and use of the shelf tags and posters. Results: The proportion of 'high-HSR products' sold increased in the intervention period compared to the baseline period in each of the three intervention stores (average increase of 0.49%, 95% CI: −0.02, 0.99), compared to a decrease of −0.15% (−0.46, 0.15) in control stores (p = 0.034). The overall increase in intervention compared to control stores (difference-in-difference) of 0.64% represents an 8.2% increase in the sales of 'high-HSR products'. Sales of total sugar, total fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sodium, protein and total energy in packaged food all decreased significantly more in intervention stores compared to control stores. Sales of fresh fruits and vegetables decreased in intervention stores compared to control stores. Customer surveys found that 34.4% noticed the shelf tags. Of those who noticed the tags, 58% believed the shelf tags influenced their purchases. Conclusions: With this study, we found that the use of shelf tags that highlight the healthiest packaged foods in a supermarket setting showed promise as a mechanism to improve the healthiness of purchases. Opportunities to scale up the intervention warrant exploration, with further research needed to assess the potential impact of the intervention on overall population diets over the longer term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Replenishment process is one of the success factors for a more efficient management of operations and a regained profitability. The application of the principles of lean manufacturing in the field of industrial logistics, where substantial improvements in the replenishment process are necessary, is relevant with the objective of optimising the replenishment flow of raw materials from assembly lines in order to propose and implement robust solutions capable of mitigating or even eliminating all types of waste and maximising the productivity of value-added activities. Methods: To achieve this goal, the paper follows the spirit of the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control) and 5-Why methods that allow the mapping of internal processes of factory logistics in the particular case of a Wire Harness Automotive Plant. Results: Based on the data collected, as well as on specific analysis methods, simulations are launched to challenge and validate the improvements made to the replenishment process. Conclusions: Several generalisable lessons are learnt regarding replenishment flow management, covering topics such as inventory traceability, in addition to logistics costs and process flow optimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supermarket environment impacts the healthiness of food purchased and consumed. Shelf tags that alert customers to healthier packaged products can improve the healthiness of overall purchases. This study assessed the potential value-for-money of implementing a three-year shelf tag intervention across all major supermarket chains in Australia. Cost–benefit analyses (CBA) and cost–utility analyses (CUA) were conducted based on results of a 12-week non-randomised controlled trial of a shelf tag intervention in seven Australian supermarkets. The change in energy density of all packaged foods purchased during the trial was used to estimate population-level changes in mean daily energy intake. A multi-state, multiple-cohort Markov model estimated the subsequent obesity-related health and healthcare cost outcomes over the lifetime of the 2019 Australian population. The CBA and CUA took societal and healthcare sector perspectives, respectively. The intervention was estimated to produce a mean reduction in population body weight of 1.09 kg. The net present value of the intervention was approximately AUD 17 billion (B). Over 98% of the intervention costs were borne by supermarkets. CUA findings were consistent with the CBA—the intervention was dominant, producing both health benefits and cost-savings. Shelf tags are likely to offer excellent value-for-money from societal and healthcare sector perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Quick Response Code (QR Code) aims to provide accurate and traceable information to consumers wanting to verify the quality of agri-food products. This study aimed to investigate the experiences and intentions of scanning QR Code in traditional markets and supermarkets. Furthermore, the types of egg information in the QR Code were explored to identify consumer interests when purchasing eggs. The empirical data were collected from 1112 valid responses throughout Taiwan from July to September, 2020. The Logit, Probit models, and the Bivariate Probit model were used to examine the data. Results showed that shoppers' propensity to scan QR Code revealed a significant difference between traditional markets and supermarkets, i.e., supermarket shoppers having higher a propensity to scan a QR Code. Of the 10 types of potential egg information in the QR Code, over half of respondents said that the production certificate label and inspection information were the top reasons that they would be interested in scanning a QR Code. This was particularly the case for homemakers aged between 51 and 60 years old and those who had scanned QR Code before and would like to pursue more egg information. Since the egg producers have resisted joining the traceability system, the implication of this study provides very practical strategies for government, policy makers, and producers in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field data from an integrated CO2 refrigeration system installed in a supermarket located north of the capital of Lisbon was analyzed. The goal was to demonstrate the effect and performance of multi-ejectors on a refrigeration system operating in a warm climate. The measurement results for the system with and without activating ejectors were compared. It was observed that the system with a multi-ejector operation had considerable performance superiority. The ejectors improved the cooling capacity of the medium temperature stage of the system by 17.4%. The system with active ejectors had 7.5% less total power consumption compared to the ejector off mode of the same system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Product layout significantly impacts consumer demand for purchases in supermarkets. Product shelf renovation is a crucial process that can increase supermarket efficiency. The development of a sequential pattern mining algorithm for investigating the correlation patterns of product layouts, solving the numerous problems of shelf design, and the development of an algorithm that considers in-store purchase and shelf profit data with the goal of improving supermarket efficiency, and consequently profitability, were the goals of this research. The authors of this research developed two types of algorithms to enhance efficiency and reach the goals. The first was a PrefixSpan algorithm, which was used to optimize sequential pattern mining, known as the PrefixSpan mining approach. The second was a new multi-objective design that considered the objective functions of profit volumes and closeness rating using the mutation-based harmony search (MBHS) optimization algorithm, which was used to evaluate the performance of the first algorithm based on the PrefixSpan algorithm. The experimental results demonstrated that the PrefixSpan algorithm can determine correlation rules more efficiently and accurately ascertain correlation rules better than any other algorithms used in the study. Additionally, the authors found that MBHS with a new multi-objective design can effectively find the product layout in supermarket solutions. Finally, the proposed product layout algorithm was found to lead to higher profit volumes and closeness ratings than traditional shelf layouts, as well as to be more efficient than other algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of supermarkets in Indonesia since the end of the 1990s have been transforming the food retail sector and providing further market opportunities for small-scale farmers, in which most of Indonesia's farmer falls into this category. The aim of this paper is to examine the supermarket participation and its effect on the well-being of small-scale farmers. We compare the differences between participants and non-participants in supermarket channels in order to explore the constraints on supermarket participation. By applying a treatment effects model which allows capturing the possibility of selection bias, we examine the factors that determine farmers' participation as well as the effect on their income. The results show that younger farmers with higher levels of education, irrigated land, who have packaging equipment and storage facilities, and are located near paved roads, are more likely to participate in the supermarket channels. On the other hand, farmers who have sprayer equipment are more likely to participate in the traditional market channels. The effect analysis shows that small-scale farmer participation in the supermarket channels can boost their income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource use and environmental impacts of a small-scale low-input organic vegetable supply system in the United Kingdom were assessed by emergy accounting and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The system consisted of a farm with high crop diversity and a related box-scheme distribution system. We compared empirical data from this case system with two modeled organic food supply systems representing high- and low-yielding practices for organic vegetable production. Further, these systems were embedded in a supermarket distribution system and they provided the same amount of comparable vegetables at the consumers' door as the case system. The on-farm resource use measured in solar equivalent Joules (seJ) was similar for the case system and the high-yielding model system and higher for the low-yielding model system. The distribution phase of the case system was at least three times as resource efficient as the models and had substantially less environmental impacts when assessed using LCA. The three systems ranked differently for emissions with the high-yielding model system being the worst for terrestrial ecotoxicity and the case system the worst for global warming potential. As a consequence of being embedded in an industrial economy, about 90% of resources (seJ) were used for supporting labor and service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of dietary inequalities is well-known. Dietary behaviours are impacted by the food environment and are thus likely to follow a spatial pattern. Using 12 months of transaction records for around 50,000 'primary' supermarket loyalty card holders, this study explores fruit and vegetable purchasing at the neighbourhood level across the city of Leeds, England. Determinants of small-area-level fruit and vegetable purchasing were identified using multiple linear regression. Results show that fruit and vegetable purchasing is spatially clustered. Areas purchasing fewer fruit and vegetable portions typically had younger residents, were less affluent, and spent less per month with the retailer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The triple burden of malnutrition in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is partly a result of changing food environments and a shift from traditional diets to high-calorie Western-style diets. Exploring the relationship between food sources and food- and nutrition-related outcomes is important to understanding how changes in food environments may affect nutrition in LMICs. This study examined associations of household food source with household food insecurity, individual dietary diversity and individual body mass index in Western Kenya. Interview-administered questionnaire and anthropometric data from 493 adults living in 376 randomly-selected households were collected in 2019. Adjusted regression analyses were used to assess the association of food source with measures of food insecurity, dietary diversity and body mass index. Notably, participants that reported rearing domesticated animals for consumption ('own livestock') had lower odds of moderate or severe household food insecurity (odds ratio (OR) = 0.29 (95% CI: 0.09, 0.96)) and those that reported buying food from supermarkets had lower odds of moderate or severe household food insecurity (borderline significant, OR = 0.37 (95% CI: 0.14, 1.00)), increased dietary diversity scores (Poisson coefficient = 0.17 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.24)) and higher odds of achieving minimum dietary diversity (OR = 2.84 (95% CI: 1.79, 4.49)). Our findings provide insight into the relationship between food environments, dietary patterns and nutrition in Kenya, and suggest that interventions that influence household food source may impact the malnutrition burden in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of the Internet environment, the trend of the retail industry in the future. It cannot be separated from the community, data and experience. Consumers' lifestyles and purchasing behaviors are constantly changing and retailers must adopt policies to understand consumers. This research analyzes supermarkets most commonly touched by consumers in daily life. In order to find hidden information behind customer transaction data, it helps supermarkets to learn about the habits of customers to help them Formulate marketing strategies and improve the profitability of supermarkets and maintain long-term relationships with customers. Thus, the RFM model is used to convert customer transaction data into R, F, and M values and then clustering using the Ward's method to combine with K-means, fuzzy C-means, and self-organizing maps. Using discriminant analysis find out the grouping method with the highest accuracy rate to calculate the customer lifetime value score. In terms of product recommendation, customers can be recommended to buy products in the top five categories or to use rules found in association rule to make recommendations. In terms of customers, we maintain long-term relationships with customers by recommending other related products, products for bundling sale, giving gifts or discount coupons, and regularly organizing promotional activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in March 2020 in Italy, leading to the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that continues to cause high global morbidity and mortality in human populations. Numerous studies have focused on the spread and persistence of the virus in the hospital setting. New scientific evidence shows that SARS-CoV-2 is present in different community environments. Although aerosol is one of the main routes of transmission for SARS-CoV-2, indirect contact through virus-contaminated surfaces could also play a key role. The survival and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces appear to be influenced by the characteristics of the material, temperature, and humidity. In this study, we investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on surfaces in 20 supermarkets throughout the Apulia region during the lockdown period. We collected a total of 300 swab samples from various surfaces including supermarket scales, trolley handles, refrigerator and freezer handles, and keyboards. In total, 13 (4.3%) surfaces were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA contamination, with shopping trolley handles being the most frequently contaminated. This study showed that contamination in public spaces can occur, so we remark the importance to adopt adequate preventive measures, including environment ventilation, careful surfaces sanitation, hand hygiene, and correct usage of masks, to reduce the likelihood of virus transmission.

Reducing the energy density (ED) of product selections made during online supermarket food shopping has potential to decrease energy intake. Yet it is unclear which types of intervention are likely to be most effective and equitable. We recruited 899 UK adults of lower and higher socioeconomic position (SEP) who completed a shopping task in an online experimental supermarket. Participants were randomised in a 2 × 2 between-subjects design to test the effects of two interventions on the ED of shopping basket selections: labelling lower-ED products as healthier choices and increasing the relative availability of lower-ED products within a range (referred to as proportion). Labelling of lower-ED products resulted in a small but significant decrease (−4.2 kcal/100 g, 95% CIs −7.8 to −0.6) in the ED of the shopping basket. Increasing the proportion of lower-ED products significantly decreased the ED of the shopping basket (−17 kcal/100 g, 95% CIs −21 to −14). There was no evidence that the effect of either intervention was moderated by SEP. Thus, both types of intervention decreased the ED of foods selected in an online experimental supermarket. There was no evidence that the effectiveness of either intervention differed in people of lower vs. higher SEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retail food waste represents a minor fraction of the total amount of food waste produced along the food supply chain (tenfold lower than the quantity of food disposed of by consumers at home). However, the role of retailers is crucial in shaping both the behavior of upstream food chain actors and the preferences of consumers. This paper studies the causes of food waste in retail stores and discusses potential mitigating actions based on the results of nine focus groups held in 2017 with 67 foods category managers. Participants used sticky notes to outline both the causes of in-store food waste and potential actions to address it. Sticky notes reporting 228 causes and 124 actions were collected during the study. Data were analyzed across thematic macro-categories and linked to the responsibility of supply chain actors, including managers at all store management levels. Results revealed that food category managers consider in-store operations (which include their actions and those of their subordinates) to be most responsible for retail food waste. However, when it comes to proposing actions against food waste, they believe that store managers are mainly responsible for the implementation of waste reduction actions. This study suggests that food category managers are key actors to involve in the fight against retail food waste. Greater effort should also be put towards informing and encouraging store managers to take action against food waste in supermarkets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, food waste represents an important issue due to its negative economic, social and environmental impact. To reduce the food waste levels, some retailers' brands implement discounting based on the proximity to expiry. Since this practice may involve potential food poisoning, a total of 94 food products from animal origin, purchased in two supermarkets in North Portugal on the expiry date, were analyzed for selected foodborne and spoilage microorganisms. Moreover, the samples were classified as satisfactory and not satisfactory according to their microbiological quality. The results showed that none of the samples presented counts for Salmonella spp., S. aureus, B. cereus. L. monocytogenes was detected in one sample over the limit of 2 log cfu/g as defined by Regulation 2073/2005. The evaluation of food hygiene and spoilage indicators showed that the processed foods displayed lower counts than raw products (beef, pork, chicken and fish). Regarding Enterobacteriaceae, raw products presented on average over 2 log cfu/g than processed foods, with the exception of beef samples that accounted over 3 log cfu/g more than processed foods. In addition, E. coli was mainly detected in fresh meat of which chicken and pork displayed the highest counts. Regarding the qualitative classification, 51.06% of the samples were not satisfactory for the total mesophilic counts, while 62.76% and 58.51% displayed positive results for Enterobacteriaceae and molds and yeasts (M&Y) criteria, respectively. In all, 70.21% of the samples analyzed at the expiry date failed, at least, in one microbiological criterion. The results indicate that the foods available at the end of the shelf life in supermarkets do not represent a risk for food poisoning due to the absence of foodborne pathogens. Since the microbiological indicators of storage/handling of raw products were mainly unsatisfactory, this indicates that the sale of these perishable foods at the end of the shelf life may not be recommended. On the other hand, processed products subjected to food conservation procedures (i.e., thermal processing) could be sold at the end of their shelf life or donated beyond the best-before date, due to its physical, chemical and microbiological stability. However, evidences of foodborne outbreaks associated to this kind of foodstuffs indicated the need of a proper risk assessment. Moreover, it is important to remark that other factors such as small sample size, the absence of the evaluation of the handling, and storage conditions along the food chain or organoleptic alterations must be assessed in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private-label products, products owned by supermarkets, are a growing area of the food supply. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of an intervention that provided an Australian supermarket ('intervention supermarket') with comparative nutrition data to improve the healthiness of their private-label range. Between 2015 and 2016, the intervention supermarket received reports that ranked the nutritional quality of their products against competitors. Changes in the nutrient content (sodium, sugar, saturated fat, energy and Health Star Rating) of products from the intervention supermarket between 2015 and 2018 were compared against changes achieved for three comparators (private-label products from two other supermarkets and branded products). The intervention supermarket achieved a significantly greater reduction in the sodium content of their products relative to all three comparators, which ranged between −104 and −52 mg/100 g (all p < 0.05). Conversely, the three comparators each achieved a greater relative reduction in the sugar content of their products by between −3.5 and −1.6 g/100 g (all p < 0.05). One of the comparators also had a greater relative reduction in the saturated fat and energy content of their products compared to the intervention supermarket (both p < 0.05). There were negligible differences in the Health Star Rating of products between the intervention supermarket and comparators (all p > 0.05). Providing comparative nutrition information to a supermarket may be ineffective in improving the healthiness of their private-label products, likely due to competing factors that play a role in the decision-making process behind product reformulation and product discontinuation/innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing evidence that the food environment can influence diets. The present study aimed to assess the relative availability and prominence of healthy foods (HF) versus unhealthy products (UP) in supermarkets in Buenos Aires, Argentina and to explore differences by retail characteristics and neighborhood income level. We conducted store audits in 32 randomly selected food retails. Food availability (presence/absence, ratio of cumulative linear shelf length for HF vs. UP) and prominence inside the store (location visibility) were measured based on the International Network for Food and Obesity/NCDs Research, Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS) protocol. On average, for every 1 m of shelf length for UP, there was about 25 cm of shelf length for HF (HF/UP ratio: 0.255, SD 0.130). UP were more frequently available in high-prominence store areas (31/32 retails) than HF (9/32 retails). Shelf length ratio differed across commercial chains ( p = 0.0268), but not by store size or type. Retails in the lower-income neighborhoods had a lower HF/UP ratio than those in the higher-income neighborhoods ( p = 0.0329). Availability of the selected HF was overcome largely by the UP, particularly in high prominence areas, and in neighborhoods with lower income level, which may pose an opportunity for public health interventions.

The food retail environment is an important driver of dietary choices. This article presents a national agenda for research in food retail, with the goal of identifying policies and corporate practices that effectively promote healthy food and beverage purchases and decrease unhealthy purchases. The research agenda was developed through a multi-step process that included (1) convening a scientific advisory committee; (2) commissioned research; (3) in-person expert convening; (4) thematic analysis of meeting notes and refining research questions; (5) follow-up survey of convening participants; and (6) refining the final research agenda. Public health researchers, advocates, food and beverage retailers, and funders participated in the agenda setting process. A total of 37 research questions grouped into ten priority areas emerged. Five priority areas focus on understanding the current food retail environment and consumer behavior and five focus on assessing implementation and effectiveness of interventions and policies to attain healthier retail. Priority topics include how frequency, duration, and impact of retailer promotion practices differ by community characteristics and how to leverage federal nutrition assistance programs to support healthy eating. To improve feasibility, researchers should explore partnerships with retailers and advocacy groups, identify novel data sources, and use a variety of study designs. This agenda can serve as a guide for researchers, food retailers, funders, government agencies, and advocacy organizations.

Should you attend to the relevant published literature on perceptions belonging consumers of ecological products, it can be easily noticed that, as a rule, the interpretation insists heavily on the analysis of an error: the consumer's confusion about the ecological product. The official concept of an ecological product does not overlap with the idea of an ecological product at the mental level of the consumer. Most studies, if not all of them, tax this confusion and analyze it as a deviant phenomenon. The starting point for this study was based on this very confusion: If there is so much confusion, it most likely means we are dealing with a symbolic projection at a social level. We found intriguing the idea of trying to understand what exactly are the mechanisms behind the ideological forming of this symbolic projection and their impact upon the decision of purchasing ecological agroalimentary products. The study was based on a nationwide questionnaire conducted in Romania in 2016. The collected data were employed in an anthropological analysis of phenomenological approach to further understand the concept of ecological agroalimentary products as it appears in the mentality of the contemporary Romanian consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the increasing pressure to reduce food waste at supermarkets, many retailers are starting initiatives to prevent the disposal of food items or to manage the waste produced in a more sustainable way. The practice of applying discounts on close-to-date and other suboptimal products is becoming popular, as reducing price pushes consumers to accept small defects of food products. Here, the attitude of 218 supermarket customers towards these discounts is analysed, basing on a questionnaire survey. Two-thirds of the sample declare to be interested in discounts on close-to-date products; the determinants of this interest are studied through a Generalized Maximum Entropy model against a set of socio-demographic and behavioral factors. Results suggest that the interest towards discounts on close-to-date product is primarily driven by a general attitude to save money in food shopping. However, an interesting positive effect is observed for the use of a shopping list at the supermarket, which may be linked to a greater attention on food planning and, consequently, to a lower production of food waste at home. In conclusion, date-based pricing seems to be an effective strategy to address food waste reduction in a sustainable management perspective, for its attractive capacity on different profiles of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetables, once harvested and stored on supermarket shelves, continue to perform biochemical adjustments due to their modular nature and their ability to retain physiological autonomy. They can live after being harvested. In particular, the content of some essential nutraceuticals, such as carotenoids, can be altered in response to environmental or internal stimuli. Therefore, in the present study, we wondered whether endogenous rhythms continue to operate in commercial vegetables and if so, whether vegetable nutritional quality could be altered by such cycles. Our experimental model consisted of rocket leaves entrained under light/darkness cycles of 12/12 h over 3 days, and then we examined free-run oscillations for 2 days under continuous light or continuous darkness, which led to chlorophyll and carotenoid oscillations in both constant conditions. Given the importance of preserving food quality, the existence of such internal rhythms during continuous conditions may open new research perspective in nutrition science. However, while chromatographic techniques employed to determine pigment composition are accurate, they are also time-consuming and expensive. Here we propose for the first time an alternative method to estimate pigment content and the nutritional quality by the use of non-destructive and in situ optical techniques. These results are promising for nutritional quality assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving population diets is a public health priority, and calls have been made for corporations such as supermarkets to contribute. Supermarkets hold a powerful position within the food system, and one source of power is supermarket own brand foods (SOBFs). Many of the world's largest supermarkets have corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies that can impact public health, but little is known about their quality or practical application. This study examines the nature and quality of Australian supermarkets' CSR policies that can impact public health nutrition, and provides evidence of practical applications for SOBFs. A content analysis of CSR policies was conducted. Evidence of supermarkets putting CSR policies into practice was derived from observational audits of 3940 SOBFs in three large exemplar supermarkets (Coles, Woolworths, IGA) in Perth, Western Australia (WA). All supermarkets had some CSR policies that could impact public health nutrition; however, over half related to sustainability, and many lacked specificity. All supermarkets sold some nutritious SOBFs, using marketing techniques that made them visible. Findings suggest Australian supermarket CSR policies are not likely to adequately contribute to improving population diets or sustainability of food systems. Setting robust and meaningful targets, and improving transparency and specificity of CSR policies, would improve the nature and quality of supermarket CSR policies and increase the likelihood of a public health benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the recent renewed interest in CO2 as the refrigerant (R744) for the food retail industry, many researchers have focused on the performance enhancement of the basic transcritical R744 supermarket refrigeration unit in warm climates. This task is generally fulfilled with the aid of energy-based methods. However, the implementation of an advanced exergy analysis is mandatory to properly evaluate the best strategies needing to be implemented to achieve the greatest thermodynamic performance improvements. Such an assessment, in fact, is widely recognized as the most powerful thermodynamic tool for this purpose. In this work, the advanced exergy analysis was applied to a conventional R744 booster supermarket refrigerating system at the outdoor temperature of 40 °C. The results obtained suggested the adoption of a more sophisticated layout, i.e., the one outfitted with the multi-ejector block. It was found that the multi-ejector supported CO2 system can reduce the total exergy destruction rate by about 39% in comparison with the conventional booster unit. Additionally, the total avoidable exergy destruction rate was decreased from 67.60 to 45.57 kW as well as the total unavoidable exergy destruction rate was brought from 42.67 down to 21.91 kW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food packaging is used for marketing purposes, providing consumers with information about product attributes at the point-of-sale and thus influencing food choice. The Australian government focuses on voluntary policies to address inappropriate food marketing, including the Health Star Rating nutrition label. This research explored the way marketing via packaging information influences Australian parents' ability to select healthy foods for their children, and who parents believe should be responsible for helping them. Five 90-min focus groups were conducted by an experienced facilitator in Perth, Western Australia. Four fathers and 33 mothers of children aged 2-8 years participated. Group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and inductive thematic content analysis conducted using NVivo11. Seven themes were derived: (1) pressure of meeting multiple demands; (2) desire to speed up shopping; (3) feeding them well versus keeping them happy; (4) lack of certainty in packaging information; (5) government is trusted and should take charge; (6) food manufacturers' health messages are not trusted; (7) supermarkets should assist parents to select healthy foods. Food packaging information appears to be contributing to parents' uncertainty regarding healthy food choices. Supermarkets could respond to parents' trust in them by implementing structural policies, providing shopping environments that support and encourage healthy food choices.

Disparities in healthy food access are well documented in cross-sectional studies in communities across the United States. However, longitudinal studies examining changes in food environments within various neighborhood contexts are scarce. In a sample of 142 census tracts in four low-income, high-minority cities in New Jersey, United States, we examined the availability of different types of food stores by census tract characteristics over time (2009-2017). Outlets were classified as supermarkets, small grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies using multiple sources of data and a rigorous protocol. Census tracts were categorized by median household income and race/ethnicity of the population each year. Significant declines were observed in convenience store prevalence in lower- and medium-income and majority black tracts ( p for trend: 0.004, 0.031, and 0.006 respectively), while a slight increase was observed in the prevalence of supermarkets in medium-income tracts ( p for trend: 0.059). The decline in prevalence of convenience stores in lower-income and minority neighborhoods is likely attributable to declining incomes in these already poor communities. Compared to non-Hispanic neighborhoods, Hispanic communities had a higher prevalence of small groceries and convenience stores. This higher prevalence of smaller stores, coupled with shopping practices of Hispanic consumers, suggests that efforts to upgrade smaller stores in Hispanic communities may be more sustainable.

In this work the thermodynamic performance of a transcritical R744 booster supermarket refrigeration system equipped with R290 dedicated mechanical subcooling (DMS) was exhaustively investigated with the aid of the advanced exergy analysis. The outcomes obtained suggested that improvement priority needs to be addressed to the manufacturing of more efficient high-stage (HS) compressors, followed by the enhancement of the gas cooler/condenser (GC), of the medium-temperature (MT) evaporators, of the R290 compressor, and of the low-temperature (LT) evaporators. These conclusions were different from those drawn by the application of the conventional exergy assessment. Additionally, it was found that GC can be enhanced mainly by reducing the irreversibilities owing to the simultaneous interaction among the components. The R290 compressor would also have significantly benefitted from the adoption of such measures, as half of its avoidable irreversibilities were exogenous. Unlike the aforementioned components, all the evaporators were improvable uniquely by decreasing their temperature difference. Finally, the approach temperature of GC and the outdoor temperature were found to have a noteworthy impact on the avoidable irreversibilities of the investigated solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two voluntary front-of-pack nutrition labels (FOPNL) are present in Australia: the government-led Health Star Ratings (HSR) and food industry-led Daily Intake Guide (DIG). Australia's two largest supermarkets are key supporters of HSR, pledging uptake on all supermarket own brand foods (SOBF). This study aimed to examine prevalence of FOPNL on SOBF, and alignment with patterns of nutritional quality. Photographic audits of all SOBF present in three large supermarkets were conducted in Perth, Western Australia, in 2017. Foods were classified as nutritious or nutrient-poor based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGTHE), NOVA level of food processing, and HSR score. Most (81.5%) SOBF featured FOPNL, with only 55.1% displaying HSR. HSR was present on 69.2% of Coles, 54.0% of Woolworths, and none of IGA SOBF. Half (51.3%) of SOBF were classified as nutritious using the AGTHE, but using NOVA, 56.9% were ultra-processed foods. Nutrient-poor and ultra-processed SOBF were more likely than nutritious foods to include HSR, yet many of these foods achieved HSR scores of 2.5 stars or above, implying they were a healthy choice. Supermarkets have a powerful position in the Australian food system, and they could do more to support healthy food selection through responsible FOPNL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the food waste generated in one Polish supermarket in terms of its mass, financial value, and wasted caloric value, and to specify ways in which to manage food that can help contribute to reducing the phenomenon of food waste in commercial facilities. The research material was a list of unsold food items in one supermarket over two weeks. The evaluation shows that in one supermarket, approximately 3.3 tonnes of food was wasted over two weeks, with a total value of €5500. The groups of products with the highest percentage share in the structure of waste were fruits and vegetables, as well as meat, cold meats, and fish. The estimated caloric value of dairy products wasted over two weeks amounts to approximately 243.8 kcal. The estimated mass of dairy products appropriated for social purposes would feed from 72 to 174 persons a day (depending on the daily reference value). As various types of food products for social purposes may be sourced from the retail sector, it constitutes an important link in the chain "from the field to the table", from which food should be redistributed to people in need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]