Low-income respondents’ perceptions about food retail and food pantry shopping environments

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional self-administered survey was conducted with adult participants from Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Education Program class series (n = 194) to assess respondents’ perceptions about their primary grocery store and food pantry environments that are potentially influential in obtaining fruits and vegetables (F&V). Survey design followed the Model of Community Nutrition Environments. Perceived availability, access, and affordability of F&V in the retail environment were assessed including factors potentially influencing greater purchase of F&V. The survey sample included respondents from diverse ethnic/racial groups. Findings provide guidance to retail and food pantry partners for promoting healthier choices in ways meaningful to respondents.

KEYWORDS:

• Food environment
• food shopping influences
• perceptions
• retail
• food assistance
• low-income respondents
• food pantries

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Bonnie Clark, Food Policy Program Manager for the Department of Health and Social Service, for her support in this project. Special gratitude is extended to local leaders and staff from EFNEP and SNAP-Ed across Washington State who implemented the survey and made this study possible.

Research support

This work was partially supported by the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), and the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant (SNAP-Ed).

Notes

¹ The Institutional Review Board of Washington State University determined this study to be exempt research.

² Washington State Office of Financial Management classifies as rural those counties with a population density less than 100 persons per square mile or counties smaller than 225 square miles as of April 1, 2016.