Healthy Checkouts

The food items commonly featured at checkout counters in grocery stores and pharmacies tend to be of low nutritional value. Many marketing strategies are used to promote these products, such as attractive displays, long corridors surrounded by displays, discounted products, and special offers.

Nearly seven out of ten Quebecers would prefer not to be exposed to junk food at checkouts when paying for their purchases¹.

Knowing that clients often have to wait before paying for their purchases, this type of strategic placement encourages impulse buying. Companies are willing to pay considerable sums to have their products placed in these locations^2,3.

Children: prime targets

This tactic is particularly effective on children. Products are placed on shelves at children’s eye level at the ends of rows and counters near checkouts in order to stimulate impulsive requests and increase pressure for parents^4-5.

Health shift in pharmacies

Pharmacies should be model when it comes to promoting health. However, the food offering at pharmacies are more often than not incompatible with healthy eating.

Healthier checkouts

Some businesses are taking inspiring actions to use checkouts as opportunities to promote healthy lifestyle habits. Instead of ultra-processed foods that are harmful to health, healthy foods (such as fruits or vegetables) and items linked to physical activity (e.g.: jump ropes) can be featured at checkouts⁶. This type of initiative makes it possible for businesses to strengthen customer loyalty without harming profitability⁷.

Authorities can also adopt regulations to limit the presence of foods and drinks of low nutritional value at checkouts. This is the case in the city of Berkeley, California, a trailblazer when it comes to promoting healthy eating: foods rich in sugar and salt will no longer be allowed at checkouts. A similar initiative has also been adopted in the United Kingdom.

1. Omnibus Web réalisé par IPSOS, pour le compte de la Coalition Poids, du 11 au 15 mars 2019, auprès de 1 296 répondants résidents du Québec, francophone et anglophone âgés de 18 ans et plus.
2. Center  for  Science in  the Public  Interest  (2016).  Rigged:  Supermarket  Shelves  for  Sale.
3. Center for Science  in  the  Public Interest (2015).  Temptation  at Checkout:  The  Food  Industry’s  Sneaky Strategy  for Selling  More.
4. Harris J et coll. (2009). Rudd Center for food policy and obesity. Yale University. Cereals f.a.c.t.s. Evaluating the nutritive quality and marketing of children’s cereals.
5. Lobstein T., Parn T. and A. Aikenhead (2011). A junk‐free childhood : Responsible standards for marketing foods and beverages to children. StanMark project of International Association for the Study of Obesity.
6. Yauch J. (s.d.). Check it out! A healthy Checkout!. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
7. Winkler LL, et al. (2016). Substituting Sugar Confectionery with Fruit and Healthy Snacks at Checkout.
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