Start Date: July 2015

ID #: CAS024

Organization: University of New England

Project Lead: Michele Polacsek, PhD, MHS

See more related research

Share


Currently there is much interest in incentivizing the purchase of healthier food items among lower-income populations. The purpose of this project is to pilot test a double-dollar incentive program traditionally used at farmers’ markets to increase purchases of fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables in a large grocery store retail setting (Hannaford). Approximately 400 adult shoppers who live with a child under 18 years of age and regularly use the Hannaford store location will be recruited and enrolled in the study in rural Maine. Investigators will collect baseline purchasing data for all participants, then establish and collect data on both a control and an intervention group. Both groups will receive a 5 percent discount on all purchases at the participating store, and the intervention group will receive an additional “2 for the price of 1” discount on fruits and vegetables. Investigators will compare “per shopping month” fruit and vegetable sales within individuals (pre- to post-intervention) and between individuals (intervention and control) as both total sales of fruit and vegetables and as a percent of total food purchased. Findings from this research will help inform grocery retailer efforts to encourage healthier purchases.

Related Research

November 2017

A Supermarket Double-Dollar Incentive Program Increases Purchases of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Among Low Income Families With Children: The Healthy Double Study

This pilot study was conducted to determine whether a supermarket double-dollar fruit and vegetable (F&V) incentive increases F&V purchases among low-income families. The study was carried out in a supermarket in a low-income rural Maine community. The participants were low-income and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) supermarket customers. The participants received a same-day coupon at More

March 2023

The Charitable Food System as a Change Agent

The U.S. charitable food system can play a role in addressing social determinants of health because of its expansive reach and community connections. The article highlights (a) strategies to prioritize access to nutritious food and provide a dignified experience; (b) examples of how food pantries can be a portal to federal benefits, health care, and other More

March 2023

Policy Opportunities and Legal Considerations to Reform SNAP-Authorized Food Retail Environments

Research was conducted using Lexis+ to evaluate statutes, regulations, and case law to determine the legal feasibility of requiring retail-based SNAP signage and nutrition disclosures, healthy endcaps and checkout aisles, and tying advertising restrictions to the licensing of SNAP retailers. Requiring retailers that designate certain foods or locations as SNAP-eligible to consistently do so in More