INSIDE OUR SUPERMARKETS 2018
Assessment of supermarket policies and commitments related to obesity prevention and nutrition
Inside Our Supermarkets 2018 assessed the four largest Australian supermarkets (Woolworths, Coles, ALDI, IGA) on their policies and commitments related to obesity prevention and nutrition.
Key findings
Australian supermarkets demonstrated some commitment to addressing health and nutrition issues, but much stronger action is needed across the sector
Areas in which Australian supermarkets have shown good progress:
1. Corporate strategy: Discussing nutrition and health issues as part of corporate responsibility reporting (3 out of 4 companies)
2. Product formulation: Reporting on efforts to reduce levels of sodium, sugar and fat in own-brand products (2 out of 4 companies)
3. Nutrition labelling: Commiting to implement the Australian government’s Health Star Rating system across own-brand products (2 out of 4 companies)
Priority recommendations for the supermarket sector:
1| Corporate strategy: Prioritise nutrition and health as part of the overall company strategy, with relevant objectives, targets and appropriate resourcing
2| Product formulation: Set measurable targets and timelines to reduce sugar, sodium, saturated fat and artificially produced trans fat content in own-brand products
3| Nutrition labelling: All companies commit to implement the Australian government’s Health Star Rating system across all own-brand products
4| Promotion practices: Establish a policy on marketing to children designed to reduce the exposure of children and adolescents (up to age 18) to promotion of ‘less healthy’ foods
5| Product availability: Introduce universal healthy checkouts (with no ‘less healthy’ products, such as confectionery and sugar-sweetened beverages, on display near registers) across all stores nationally
6| Product affordability: Limit price promotions (e.g., price discounts and ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ specials) on ‘less healthy’ products, whilst working to improve affordability of healthy foods
Implications
While Australian supermarkets have taken some positive steps as part of a societal response to unhealthy diets and obesity, there is a much greater role for them to play
Companies need to elevate the importance of nutrition as part of their overall strategy, and commit to implementing a broad range of actions to improve the healthiness of Australian supermarket environments
Governments need to closely monitor the healthiness of supermarket environments, and consider stronger policy intervention where voluntary company actions are insufficient
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