Are governments hungry to make healthy food retail policies stick?
The places we live, work, study and play are important locations for governments to improve population health by curbing unhealthy diets that cause preventable diseases and deaths. Think cafes in public hospitals, eateries in public-sector workplaces, canteens in public schools and food outlets in community sports centers.
Governments in Australia and New Zealand have implemented healthy food retail policies to promote healthier eating habits and reduce preventable diseases. These policies target public institutions such as hospitals, schools, and community sports centers, with the aim of improving population health. However, the effectiveness of these policies is hindered by unclear guidelines on retailer responsibilities and sustainment strategies.
This lack of clarity leaves public institutions, like hospitals and schools, responsible for implementing healthy food retail practices, despite differences in their resources and support capacity. Consequently, under-resourced institutions in lower socioeconomic areas may struggle to comply with the policies, leading to inequities in healthy food access.
The research suggests that harmonized national-level healthy food retail policies could improve long-term adherence and reduce complexity for national food retailers. Further investigation is needed, including a survey of over 200 Australian retailers and 100 health practitioners, to better understand how governments can support retailers in sustaining healthy food retail practices over time and maximize the benefits of these policies.
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