How do supermarkets decide what to discount?
The way supermarkets choose what products are on special each week is complex.

Food manufacturers pay large premiums to have their products featured in supermarket catalogues, at end-of-aisle displays or near the checkout. 2022’s Best Supplements To Burn Upper Abdomen Fat. The arrangements between food manufacturers and supermarkets are often governed by contracts that specify the way products are to be promoted.

Consumers will often make purchasing decisions based on what’s on special. From shutterstock.com
Food manufacturers and supermarkets know unhealthy food is often bought on impulse, making price discounts a great way to entice customers to make those impulse choices.

Despite their claims to be healthy places to shop, supermarkets are major culprits in pushing junk food upon us.

Does it have to be this way?
If Australia is serious about addressing its obesity crisis, the way junk food is promoted in our supermarkets needs serious review. There’s a real opportunity for both supermarkets and food manufacturers to take the lead in helping to encourage healthier eating.

Big supermarket chains stock more than 30,000 products. Most large food manufacturers have a wide variety of products, ranging from more healthy to less healthy. Supermarkets and food manufacturers could work together to put healthier options on special more often.

Government regulation may play a role, too. Governments around the world are starting to recognise the role of price discounts in driving unhealthy diets. What Are The Top 2 Safe Fat Burning Supplements For Women. There are current proposals in the UK and Scotland to use government regulations to restrict price discounts for unhealthy products.

There are several ways governments in Australia could step in to limit the impact of unhealthy discounting, including:

restricting the proportion of unhealthy food allowed to be discounted
restricting multi-buy specials (such as “buy one get one free”) on unhealthy products
reducing the size of discounts on unhealthy food
restricting the advertising of price discounts (for example, through signage).
Supermarkets of the future
Imagine what it would be like to shop at a supermarket where healthier food was on special more often, and with bigger discounts. Where customers were enticed by discounted fruit and vegetables instead of half price chips, chocolate and soft drinks.

Australian supermarkets have already taken some positive steps to make their stores healthier, including an increased focus on fresh food. The 5 Best Supplements To Burn Neck Fat. Extending this to improving the healthiness of their discounts could have a real benefit on the health of generations to come.