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. 2015 Nov;34(11):1869-76.
doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0072.

Gains Made By Walmart's Healthier Food Initiative Mirror Preexisting Trends

Lindsey Smith Taillie  1 , Shu Wen Ng  2 , Barry M Popkin  3
Affiliations

Gains Made By Walmart's Healthier Food Initiative Mirror Preexisting Trends

Lindsey Smith Taillie et al. Health Aff (Millwood). 2015 Nov.

Abstract

Healthier food initiatives conducted by national food retailers may offer opportunities to improve the nutritional profile of food purchases. Using a longitudinal data set of packaged food purchases made by US households, we examined the effect of a healthier food initiative officially launched by Walmart in 2011. From 2000 to 2013, household-level purchases of packaged foods at Walmart showed major declines in energy, sodium, and total sugar density, as well as in quantities of sugary beverages, grain-based desserts, snacks, and candy. These trends in packaged food purchases were more pronounced than similar concurrent trends seen at other major food retailers. However, the declines seen at Walmart after the initiative's official implementation did not exceed what would have been expected had pre-implementation trends continued, and therefore they cannot be attributed to the initiative. These results suggest that food retailer-based initiatives that purportedly create a healthier food environment may not suffice to improve the nutritional profile of food purchases. More systemic shifts in consumers' characteristics and preferences may be needed.

Keywords: Health Promotion/Disease Prevention; Public Health; food purchases; sugar sweetened beverages; supercenters.

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Figures

Exhibit 1
Exhibit 1. Observed vs. counterfactual energy density of Walmart packaged food purchases pre- and post-HFI
Source: Authors’ analysis of Nielsen Homescan data, 2000-2013
Exhibit 2
Exhibit 2. Observed vs. counterfactual total sugar density of Walmart packaged food purchases pre- and post-HFI
Source: Authors’ analysis of Nielsen Homescan data, 2000-2013
Exhibit 3
Exhibit 3. Observed vs. counterfactual saturated fat density of Walmart packaged food purchases pre- and post-HFI
Source: Authors’ analysis of Nielsen Homescan data, 2000-2013
Exhibit 4
Exhibit 4. Observed vs. counterfactual sodium density of Walmart packaged food purchases pre- and post-HFI
Source: Authors’ analysis of Nielsen Homescan data, 2000-2013
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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