Methods to compare fruit and vegetable prices in low-income neighborhood stores with county level retail scanner data APHA 2008, San Diego Presented by:

Methods to compare fruit and vegetable prices in low-income neighborhood stores with county level retail scanner data

APHA 2008, San Diego

Presented by:

Alyssa Ghirardelli, MPH, RD

Research Scientist I

Research and Evaluation Unit

Network for a Healthy CaliforniaCo-Authors: Valerie Quinn, MEd, Ellen Feighery, RN, MS, Sharon

Sugerman, MS, RD

Presenter Disclosures

(1)The following personal financial relationships with commercial interests relevant to this presentation existed during the past 12 months:


No relationships to disclose

• Documents the physical environment and empowers local action to change the environment to support individual behaviors

• A planning model that involves assessing communities in relation to a variety of obesity prevention benchmarks known as community indicators and assets

• Based on California Tobacco Control Section initiative, CX (Communities of Excellence)

• 3 = nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention

CX3: Communities of Excellence

in Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Prevention

CX3 Standardized Indicators and Assets

• Indicators organized into 6 Community Environments:

– Neighborhood

– Preschool

– School

– After-school

– Worksite

– Government

• Assets organized into:

– Health department infrastructure

– Political will

– Community infrastructurecurrently working in

= Pilot Sites (2006)

= Group 3 (2008)

Local Health Departments

= Group 2 (2007)

CX3 Sites24 Network sites

(2 more for 2009)

15+ Sites w/other funding

trained

More than ½ HD’s in CA

• Chose 3-6 low-income neighborhoods

• Each neighborhood 1-5 census tracts

• > 50% of population in census tract at or below 185% Federal Poverty Level (FPL)

• Other selection factors• Established partnerships• Race/Ethnic make-up• Rural and Urban (for some sites)• Obesity rates (used by one site)

CX3 Neighborhood Selection:Network for a Healthy California

Field Surveys• Grocery stores & small markets

– Availability and quality of fruits and vegetables, – Fruit and vegetable prices– Other healthy foods

• Includes new WIC food package

– Marketing of healthy/unhealthy foods– Products around check-out

CX3 Data: 3-6 low-income neighborhoods

Neighborhood Environment

CX3 : Prices Collected for F/V

Fruits • Apples• Bananas• Oranges

Vegetables• Carrots• Tomatoes• Broccoli• Cabbage

• Specifc items selected as part of survey mainly for commonality, but also nutrition and cultural relevance

• Recorded lowest priced variety, per pound preferred, but could collect price per piece or bunch or bag (but must record weight)

CX3 : Price Data Goals/Scenario• To determine if f/v prices in grocery stores, small markets and convenience stores were higher than a reasonable price specific to the area

• Prices vary by region in California – very different from Central Valley to Bay Area

• Prices also vary seasonally– needed to obtain comparison price for f/v

during time in the field• Part of overall scoring system with stores

getting up to 100 points– pricing accounts for 10 pts

Comparison Data Available:

• Vendor able to provide scanner data by specified “geography” for a given time period (min. 1 wk)– Dollars sold– Pounds sold– Units sold– Price/lb– Price/unit

• All supermarket chains @ 2M– Raley’s, Vons, Safeway, Albertsons, Savemart, Food

Maxx, etc., – not warehouses, or superstores (ie. Walmart)

• Typically data used by industry to monitor impact of sales, specials, or market forces

• Web-based interface

Data Used for Comparison

• County geography• Varieties (for all CA)

– lowest price– highest sellers

(by pounds) – selected at natural

breaks in data• Price/lb• Average price• Added 10% margin of

error • Comparison Price or

“Reasonable Price”

• Los Angeles• Gala• Red Delicious• $1.55 +1.68 / 2• $1.61 x 10%• $1.77 comparison

price

BANANAS

2007 2008

Contra Costa $0.80 Butte $1.89

Marin $0.87 LA $2.03

Sacramento $0.68 Monterey $1.45

Solano $0.79 Orange $1.68

Ventura $0.74 Santa Barbara $1.63

Average cost: $0.78 Shasta $1.08

Sonoma $3.08

Stanislaus $1.70

Yolo $0.90

Average cost: $1.72

Total Increase: $0.94

TOMATOES

2007 2008

Contra Costa $2.01 Butte $1.73

Marin $3.88 LA $1.74

Sacramento $1.65 Monterey $1.65

Solano $2.73 Orange $2.23

Ventura $1.21 Santa Barbara $3.27

Average cost: $2.30 Shasta $1.92

Sonoma $1.33

Stanislaus $1.82

Yolo $2.31

Average cost: $2.00

Total Increase: -$0.30

CX3 Sample: Food Store Types

9%4%

46%

38%

3%

SupermarketChainLargeGrocerySmall Market

Convenience

Other

Other: Discount, Drug Stores, Health

Food, Ethnic

2007 Sample

n = 138 stores

18 neighborhoods

2008 Sample

n = 228 stores

32 neighborhoods

9%

7%

36%

40%

8%

Other: 99¢/Dollar, Drug Stores,

Warehouse, WIC Only

Of 363 prices

collected in 2007

84%

were below

“Reasonable

Price”

In 2008,

613 prices

86%

CX3 Findings: F&V Prices

Percent of Prices Under Cut Point by Store Type

8996

83

61

30

90 90 93

51

71

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

SupermarketChain

LargeGrocery

Small Market Convenience Other

Per

cent

of P

rice

s

2007

2008

Stores sell produce:

64% in 2007

66% in 2008

40% of Stores in 2007

26% of Storesin 2008

Met the standard of availability and

reasonable prices

CX3 Findings: F&V Prices

To meet standards stores

need

7 out of 10 items

with prices below

“reasonable price”

Conclusions

• Individual item prices do not appear to be excessive, specifically in supermarkets, large grocery stores and small markets

• When stores are evaluated for standards of availability and price, most (40% in 2007, 26% in 2008) do not meet standards

• Obtaining local pricing data for comparison allows for price differences by area, seasonality, and economic shifts

• Next steps: additional analysis without 10% margin of error, availability/quality analysis

For More Information:

[email protected]

Research Scientist I Network for a Healthy California

Research and Evaluation UnitCalifornia Department of Public

Health
