Background
To improve population diets, broad-scale societal change is required, including from the food industry - in particular, from major supermarkets, where the majority of food in Australia is purchased from.
This study aimed to assess the largest Australian supermarket companies on their voluntary policies and practices for supporting healthier food environments and improving population nutrition. The objective was to highlight where Australian supermarket companies were demonstrating leadership, and identify areas for improvement.
Using the globally-developed methods by INFORMAS, the study is a repeat of a previous assessment in 2018 (Sacks et al 2020).
Contribution
This study found that Australian supermarkets are taking increased steps to address health and nutrition, but their current actions fall far short of global best practice. Australian supermarkets have taken some steps to improve corporate reporting on nutrition and commit to healthier product formulation, however lack comprehensive strategies to limit the promotion of unhealthy products, and have few policies to improve the affordability of healthy foods. Findings support calls for greater government action to improve the healthiness of checkouts, restrictions of price promotions on unhealthy food, and corporate reporting on nutrition.
Significance
The report was launched with a public webinar that was well attended, with over 300 registrations from diverse backgrounds (including public health, researchers, food companies and industry bodies, and representatives from local, state and federal government). The report launch also received excellent media coverage, with 38 media items across local and state radio, national TV, print and online.
Findings of this research were presented at the World Public Health Nutrition Conference, London in June 2024.
The academic manuscript for this study is currently in progress, with journal submission aimed for end of 2024.