A Healthier Way to Check Out at the Grocery Store

Mary Dunne StewartLee Taylor-PennValerie Waters

Mary Dunne StewartExecutive Director

Greater Richmond Fit4Kids

History of Fit4Kids• Started in 2010 by

the Sports Backers with support from The Robins Foundation

• Conducted comprehensive needs assessment to determine community needs

• Two years of research, fundraising, and collaboration led to September 2012 program launch

• In July 2012, launched

the Greater Richmond Coalition for Healthy Children

The Greater Richmond Coalition for Healthy

Children• Funded by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy

Youth• Broad-based steering committee

• Bon Secours, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, MARTIN’S Supermarket, Richmond City Health District, COACH, Henrico Child Health Coalition, Slow Food RVA, Fit4Kids

• Implementing programs from the Institute of Medicine’s list of Promising Practices for the Prevention and Reduction of Childhood Obesity

The Problem of Childhood Obesity

• The cause of childhood obesity hasn’t changed – too many calories and not enough exercise

• But, the environment has changed:• Decreased emphasis on physical education• Limited access to healthy food, increased access to

high-energy-dense foods (sugar sweetened beverages)

• Food marketing• Lack of access to physical activity and safe/appealing

places to play

The Genesis of Healthy Ideas Lanes

• Desired to impact children’s health through environmental changes

• Partnered with the Richmond City Health District

• Similar projects in Indiana and West Virginia

• Research demonstrated a need for this project

Studies have shown that strategies aimed at changing the grocery store environment, affect what shoppers purchase. 60% of purchase decisions in the supermarket are unplanned or spur of the moment.

In a recent national survey of shoppers, about 66% said they were actively looking for ways to improve their health and wellness by making healthy choices when shopping. But of those shoppers, only half agreed that their supermarket helped them find the healthy options.

—Harnessing the Power of Supermarkets to Help Reverse Childhood Obesity (The Food Trust & RWJF)

Partnership with MARTIN’S

• A natural partner, because they were already engaged in the ad hoc group that eventually became The Greater Richmond Coalition for Healthy Children

• An In-Store Nutritionist on staff serving the Richmond area

• 23 stores throughout the Richmond area

Lee Taylor-PennProject Coordinator

Richmond City Health District

The mission of the Richmond City Health District is to promote healthy living,

protect the environment, prevent disease and prepare the community for disasters.

20122012

Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

Final Grant Report Due10/15/2012

Grant Ends9/30/2012

Kick-Off Event8/16/2012

Martin's Agrees to Pilot Project5/30/2012

Initial Meeting with Valerie5/10/2012

Hired Project Coordinator at RCHD4/11/2012

Received Grant4/2/2012

Surveyed Store Management9/24/2012 - 9/28/2012

Surveyed Customers9/17/2012 - 9/29/2012

Planned Kick Off Event7/16/2012 - 8/15/2012

Researched Similar Projects4/11/2012 - 5/10/2012

Researched Best Practices

• Contacted the CDC• Worked with West

Virginia through “Communities Putting Prevention to Work” grant

• Provided best practices

• Shared road blocks

• Contacted Project Coordinator in WV

• Change the Future WV project

• Shared project materials

• Step-by-step process

Valerie Waters, RD In Store

Nutritionist Martin’s

Supermarket

Martin’s Agreement

• We jumped at the opportunity to be the pioneer store on this project!

• 292,000 is a conservative estimate of people who will be reached in one year. This is 100 people a day passing through 2 healthy check out aisles in 8 grocery stores.

• Eight stores were selected, 2 check out lanes in each store were converted to Healthy Ideas Check Out Lanes• 4 stores located in the City of Richmond• 1 store that has a high percentage of customers from the

City of Richmond• 3 stores where Martin’s Nutritionist is located

Martin’s Team Progress

• Project began in May 2012• Martin’s project manager was selected in addition

to Health District project manager • Martin’s Team of category managers

• Produce, General Management, Magazines, Marketing/PR, Nutritionist

• Corporate store visits to view potential aisles/racks

• Weekly conference calls, including Health District project manager

Martin’s Team Action Plan

• Established guidelines for product selection • Established approved product list and set the

planograms• Communicated with store management

throughout the process• Installed signage• Reset aisles with Healthy Ideas products• Currently evaluating pilot expansion

Product Selection

• Snack foods met the following nutrition standards (per package): • No more than 220 calories • No more than 35% total calories from fat, excluding

nut based products• Less than 10% total calories from saturated fat• No more than .5 grams trans fat• No more than 35% of calories from sugar, excluding

fruit • No more than 240 milligrams of sodium • Contains no artificial sweeteners in all food

products• Accepted: sugar free gum and mints.

Product Selection

• What is on the shelf? • Snacks:

• Several different nutrition bars, including KIND bars, Odwalla, and Clif Jr. bars

• Baked Lays chips, Special K Pop Chips, Pistachios• Fresh apples, bananas and freeze fried fruit packages• Fig Newtons cookies, 100% fruit snacks

• Beverages: • Water, Vitamin Water Zero, SoBe 0 Calorie, Propel • 100% juice, V8 juice

• Magazines: • Health/Fitness, Healthy Cooking, Wellness, Women’s

and Men’s Health, Gardening, Homes, Richmond magazines

Kick-Off Event

• Invited local community leaders, team mascots, and politicians

• Sent press release to TV Stations, newspaper and other publications

• Offered samples of 3 products offered in the lane

• Received press from CBS6, Richmond Times Dispatch, RVANews & four online grocer publications

Evaluation Measures

Output•Customers’ overall satisfaction with the aisles•Increase in purchase of healthy items at the checkout •Store managers’ satisfaction with the new checkout aisles and commitment to the project

Outcome Measures

•Attitude and behavior changes related to healthy checkout aisles •Attitude of store managers toward project

Customer Feedback

• Administered 100 customer surveys in each of the 8 Martin’s stores

• Of the 26% of customers that were familiar with the Healthy Ideas lane…• 14% used the lane “Every chance I get” • 45% used the lane “Occasionally” • 22% used the lane “Rarely”• 17% “Never” use the lane

• The most popular food items: • Apples, Bananas, Flavored Water

• 32% of customers reported that the addition of the lane affected their choice to shop at Martin’s

I wish these were used when my children were little.

—Customer

Having more aisles would be more beneficial.

—Customer

I find the display of junk food near check-out lanes to be a very negative aspect of shopping. It is hard enough without that temptation.

—Customer

Store Management Feedback

• Surveyed 1 store employee from each store• 7 store managers• 1 lead check-out coach

• Initial reaction to the project?• 3 of the 8 felt “Skeptical”• 5 of the 8 felt “Excited”

• 50% believed that the sales from the Healthy Ideas lane had increased the overall check-out lane sales

Good options for the front end check-out—great focus for the community to have a healthy choice. People who seek candies and soft drinks have many options, but not so for the healthier choice in this selected location.

–Store Manager

I like the idea…particularly that it affords parents with children an alternative.

–Store Manager

Product is selling (That is the best response).

–Store Manager

Healthy Checkout Aisles Success!

Successes

•Offer healthier snack options when checking out•Give back to our customers who desire health & wellness programs •Expose customers to healthier choices throughout the store •Receive positive feedback in the stores from customers and store management

Opportunities

•Traditional check out aisle vendors slow to understand program •Communication and coordination•In stock position •Affect on sales hard to quantify •Short duration ~ 4 months

The Future of Martin’s Healthy Ideas Checkout

Lanes • Martin’s would like to expand this

project to all 23 stores in the Richmond area

• Assess surveys, store management feedback and sales figures

• Determine the most effective way to market and engage customers at each store

Questions?