Digital Food Retail: Public Health Opportunities.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss public health opportunities that are emerging from the global uptake of digital food retail services, with a focus on online groceries, food delivery apps, and meal kits.
Abstract: For over two decades, digital food retail services have been emerging alongside advances in mobile technology and improved access to wi-fi. Digitalization has driven changes within the food environment, complicating an already complex system that influences food-related behaviors and eating practices. Digital food retail services support an infrastructure that enhances commercial food systems by extending access to and availability of highly processed foods, further escalating poor dietary intakes. However, digital food retail services are heterogeneous–food delivery apps, online groceries, and meal kits–and can be feasibly adapted to nutrition interventions and personalized to individual needs. Although sparse, new evidence indicates great potential for digital food retail services to address food insecurity in urban areas and to support healthy eating by making it easier to select, plan, and prepare meals. Digital food retail services are a product of the digital transformation that reflect consumers’ constant need for convenience, which must be addressed in future research and interventions. This paper will discuss public health opportunities that are emerging from the global uptake of digital food retail services, with a focus on online groceries, food delivery apps, and meal kits.
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TL;DR: This analysis focuses on two developments in online food delivery: delivery-only ‘dark kitchens’ and rapid grocery delivery services (RGDS), with the aim to understand and assess the availability of health harming and health promoting products through these services.
Abstract: Online spaces are increasingly important in the sale of food, alcohol and tobacco. This analysis focuses on two developments in online food delivery: delivery-only ‘dark kitchens’ and rapid grocery delivery services (RGDS), with the aim to understand and assess the availability of health harming and health promoting products through these services. Data was collected for one metropolitan local authority in London, UK, using publicly available online sources. Being explorative in nature, the analysis includes descriptive statistics and qualitative assessment. Three dark kitchens (renting kitchens to 116 food businesses), three grocery delivery apps, and 76 grocery businesses available through online delivery platforms were identified. Most businesses renting dark kitchen space were ‘virtual restaurants’ (52%) selling fast food (47%) or dessert (21%) through online delivery platforms. RGDS sold a variety of items, with a focus on pre-packaged foods high in fat, salt and sugar, alcoholic beverages and tobacco. These items were also most likely to be promoted through offers and promotional language. Fruits and vegetables were less commonly available and mainly on grocery delivery apps. Online delivery services increase the temporal and geographic availability and promotion of many unhealthy products. Research expanding on the geographic area of interest is needed.
10 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors determined the relationship between consumer propensity to purchase innovative products and the frequency of consumption of fruits and their preserves of consumers, and found that consumers with a higher propensity to buy innovative products consumed fruit and fruit preserves more.
Abstract: Due to the low level of fruit consumption in relation to dietary recommendations in many European countries, including Poland, multidirectional actions should be taken to increase the consumption of these products. One of the ideas could be the introduction of innovative products. The main goal of the study is to determine the relationship between consumer propensity to purchase innovative products and the frequency of consumption of fruits and their preserves of consumers. The research sample consisted of 600 respondents who declared to consume fruit and were responsible for food shopping in their households. The results obtained indicate that consumers with a higher propensity to purchase innovative products consumed fruit and fruit preserves more. In addition, statistically significant differences were found between innovators and non-innovators in terms of income, expenditures on fruit purchases, places where fruit and fruit preserves were purchased and product characteristics that determined the purchase decision. The logistic regression results indicate that a higher frequency of supermarket/hypermarket and online shopping, a higher weekly spending on fruit and a greater importance attributed to the biodegradability of the packaging increased the favorability of innovation relatively to fruit products (by 23.8%, 31.4%, 32.7% and 21.6%, respectively). The relationships found may have important implications for both private and public stakeholders in the fruit and vegetable sector.
2 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors explore barriers and facilitators of online grocery shopping and identify community-driven strategies to promote equity in online food access and find that participants of low-income households identify barriers, facilitators, and advocates for online grocery access.
1 citations
01 May 2023
TL;DR: WRI examines how ways of eating are changing in China and outlines a behavior science framework to promote healthier and more sustainable diets in the country as discussed by the authors . But the authors do not discuss the impact of these changes on the quality of the food.
Abstract: China’s economic development has driven significant changes to diets in the country. In this report, WRI examines how ways of eating are changing in China and outlines a behavior science framework to promote healthier and more sustainable diets.
TL;DR: In this paper , the authors explore the anticipated nature of AV food delivery services in Australia and identify available policy options to optimise positive outcomes and minimise any negative consequences for health and well-being.
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TL;DR: An overview of time issues related to food choices is presented and applications of time research for nutrition and health researchers, policy makers, and practitioners interested in food choice are discussed.
600 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report a preliminary assessment of consumer response to and demand for online food retail channels and report demographic and online shopping variables that are significantly related to the primary reason for shopping online, willingness to buy all grocery items online, perception of time spent shopping online vs in the store, and experience with online grocery shopping.
Abstract: Reports a preliminary assessment of consumer response to and demand for online food retail channels. Data were collected from 243 US consumers who currently buy their groceries online. The majority of online users were younger than 55 years of age, female, and reported annual incomes of $70,000 or more. Over 70 percent reported convenience and saving time as their primary reasons for buying groceries online but 15 percent cited physical or constraint issues that made it difficult for them to shop at grocery stores. Of the respondents, 19 percent bought all of their groceries online. Also reports demographic and online shopping variables that are significantly related to the primary reason for shopping online, willingness to buy all grocery items online, perception of time spent shopping online vs in the store, and experience with online grocery shopping.
372 citations
TL;DR: Examination of supermarket-based and community environmental, policy, and pricing strategies for increasing intake of fruits and vegetables and identifies promising strategies, research needs, and innovative opportunities for the future shows strong support for the feasibility of these approaches and modest evidence of their efficacy.
306 citations
TL;DR: Findings suggest several strategies for in-store marketing to promote healthful eating by increasing availability, affordability, prominence, and promotion of healthful foods and/or restricting or de-marketing unhealthy foods.
298 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a psychometrically valid and reliable instrument that measures different uses and gratifications behind the use of food delivery apps (FDAs) was developed and the association between different U&Gs and intentions to use FDAs were investigated.
240 citations