Global Obesity Centre (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.
BMC Public Health. 2022 Jul 26;22(1):1423. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-13812-7.
Current supermarket price promotions are likely to encourage unhealthy diets, leading some governments to recently endorse restrictions on price promotions for unhealthy food and beverages. However, little is known about the likely industry response to policy action in this area. The aim of this study was to understand how potential government policies targeting food and beverage price promotions in supermarkets are perceived by food industry stakeholders in Australia. Twelve semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with current and former employees of major food manufacturers and food retailers as well as other industry experts with experience related to price promotion practices in the Australian supermarket setting. Data were analysed deductively based on Lewin's organisational change theories and inductively to highlight forces that might drive or restrain change.From an industry perspective, forces likely to create industry opposition to implementation of price promotion policy included: fear of losing competitive advantage; potential financial loss for food retailers and their suppliers; a perception that restrictions on price promotions for unhealthy products will not impact health; and a perception of increased financial cost to consumers. Forces perceived to drive implementation of a policy that would benefit public health included: mandatory regulation; extensive compliance monitoring; support for promoting healthy products; consumer education; and sufficient lead time and support from retailers for implementation. These forces, and the way in which they interact, need to be actively considered as part of efforts to change the healthiness of food and beverage price promotions in supermarkets.
目前的超市价格促销活动可能会鼓励不健康的饮食，导致一些政府最近支持对不健康食品和饮料的价格促销活动进行限制。然而，对于该领域政策行动可能引发的行业反应，人们知之甚少。本研究旨在了解澳大利亚食品行业利益相关者如何看待针对超市食品和饮料价格促销的潜在政府政策。通过对主要食品制造商和食品零售商的现任和前任员工以及其他在澳大利亚超市环境中具有价格促销实践经验的行业专家进行了 12 次半结构化深入访谈，了解了相关信息。根据 Lewin 的组织变革理论，对数据进行了演绎分析，并进行了归纳分析，以突出可能推动或限制变革的力量。从行业角度来看，可能会导致行业反对实施价格促销政策的因素包括：担心失去竞争优势；食品零售商及其供应商可能面临财务损失；认为限制不健康产品的价格促销不会对健康产生影响；以及认为消费者的财务成本会增加。被认为有助于实施有利于公众健康的政策的因素包括：强制性监管；广泛的合规监测；支持推广健康产品；消费者教育；以及零售商为实施政策提供充足的提前期和支持。在努力改变超市食品和饮料价格促销的健康性时，需要积极考虑这些因素及其相互作用的方式。
