This study was done to show what interventions have been done in small food stores to improve the customer’s diets. The research endeavors to evaluate the results of food availability, dietary choices, and factors which alter the risk of chronic disease. Information was retrieved from PubMed and sixteen reviews were used. Small stores used were less than 1000 square feet with less than 10 employees.

Small food stores often found in low-income areas with racial minorities supply excessively high fat and high sugar foods. Some of the strategies used by public health workers have been to increase the availability of healthier foods, shelf labels and posters, as well as more direct engagement with the community. Some projects used business training and nutrition education, coupons, cooking demonstrations, and taste tests of healthy foods. Four trials moved unhealthy foods to the back of the stores, and one store provided discounts on healthy foods.

The trials in general resulted in increased availability of heathier food and improved sales of healthy food with better consumer knowledge and better dietary behaviors. Trials which kept track of product sales reported a 25-50% increase in the sale of promoted products. Price reductions for healthy foods through discounts or coupons were especially beneficial in increasing sales of these items.

CONCLUSION: Interventions in small food stores have been found to be successful in increasing the sales of healthy foods with the goal of reducing chronic diseases. Especially beneficial were reductions in the prices of such foods through discounts and coupons. More studies are needed to evaluate the long-term health benefits of such approaches.

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PMID: 22338599.

Summary #722.