Supermarkets, convenience stores driving unhealthy food sales, obesity rates — study

MANILA, Philippines — A collaborative study published in Nature Food shows that the global rise of food retail chains like supermarkets and convenience stores are driving unhealthy food sales and fueling obesity rates.

Researchers from Australia's Deakin University and experts from the United Nations Children's Fund examined trends in retail food environments from 2009 to 2023 in nearly a hundred countries to explore associations with changes in obesity prevalence.

The two teams posited that these food chains influence food purchasing and dietary patterns, calling for a need to make comparisons across geographical regions regarding diet-related non-communicable diseases.

The study found there were increases in the density of chain outlets, grocery sales from chain retailers, unhealthy food sales per capita, and digital grocery sales, meanwhile, non-chain outlet density and the ratio of non-chain to chain outlets declined over time.

Geographically, South Asia and low- and middle-income countries experienced the most rapid transformation overall.

Results further showed that the changes in retail environments and the prevalence of obesity were positively correlated.

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Lead author Dr. Tailane Scapin of Deakin University said large chain retailers often hold significant market power and use their dominance over food manufacturers to determine what is available and what price they are sold at, leading to the widespread availability of unhealthy food.

"Large chain retailers and food manufacturers also use aggressive marketing strategies to promote unhealthy food, contributing to poor dietary habits and, as consequence, negatively impacting their customers' health," she added.

Scapin reiterated the study's findings highlight the importance of regulating the retail environment to ensure healthy food is promoted, at the same limiting the marketing and promoting of unhealthy products.

"In low and middle-income countries where supermarkets and convenience stores are spreading the fastest, governments have a time-limited opportunity to make sure that these new, modern retail stores actually promote healthy food," Scapin also said, citing experiences in North America, Europe, and other high-income regions.

The entire research team are calling for urgent action from governments as well as from retailers and the health promotion workforce to prioritze healthier retail food environments supporting sustainable and healthy dietary patterns and positive public health outcomes.

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