Price Reductions Increase Fruit and Veg Intake

After more than a decade of driving the message home about the need for us to eat more fruit and veg, with the UK average consumption between two and three potions daily, it hasn't quite had the desired effect. While some people call for even more public education on this and other issues relating to a healthy diet, it's perhaps time to consider another approach - getting the food industry on board to reduce prices. While this is easier said than done, new research indicates that rather than just being a theory, this really does work.

The study involved 151 Dutch shoppers, who were divided into four groups. One group were given half price vouchers that could be spent on fresh, tinned or frozen fruit and vegetables, while another was provided with healthy recipe books and telephone advice from a dietitian. A third group was offered both of the former and a fourth, neither. Before the start of the study the till receipts were analysed and then again at the one, three and six month point of the study. After six months, those who had received coupons and advice spent around £12 more produce over a fortnight than beforehand, while those who received the vouchers alone spent on average £9 more, but the cookbooks and phone consults made little difference. In terms of how much fruit and veg were actually consumed, 60% of those using the vouchers ate the recommended number of portions, compared to 42% at the start of the research. This confirms that nutrition advice alone is not sufficient to increase purchasing and consumption of fruit and veg and that financial incentives may help; this would likely make most difference to those with limited incomes in countries where prices are high.

If supermarkets can reduce the price of chocolate, crisps and fizzy drinks, offering them at a discount regularly, why can't they do this to the same extent with fruit and veg?

Photo by Hendrike via Wikimedia Commons