Pricing Strategies

RWJF Priority: Use pricing strategies—both incentives and disincentives—to promote the purchase of healthier foods

Prices can significantly affect family food choices and are emerging as an important strategy in the movement to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. For example, when healthy foods like fruits and vegetables are more affordable, children are less likely to gain excess weight. And leading health authorities, including the Institute of Medicine, recommend new policies to reduce overconsumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, which are one of the top sources of calories in the American diet.

The resources below, from RWJF grantees and partners, explore the possible health and economic impacts of using pricing strategies to promote consumption of healthy foods and beverages and discourage consumption of unhealthy products.

Childhood Obesity Policy Priorities

Featured

A Penny-Per-Ounce Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Could Have Big Impact

Such a tax could prevent unnecessary, potentially life-threatening conditions—and help avoid billions of dollars in medical costs over a decade—according to a recent study.

Read the study

From the Food Trust

Harnessing the Power of Supermarkets to Help Reverse Childhood Obesity

A report from The Food Trust examines in-store promotions and pricing strategies that may encourage people to buy healthier foods and beverages.

Read the report

From Bridging the Gap

Taxes on Soda and Snack Foods

Bridging the Gap (BTG) examines how changes in price affect consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. BTG also has the latest research about state-level taxes on snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Learn more

More Research and Resources on Pricing Strategies

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Health Policy

September 17, 2012 | Feature/Topic

Browse research, insight and analysis on key issues affecting health and health care in the United States.

Changing WIC Changes What Children Eat

January 1, 2013 | Journal Article

Changes in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Healthy Lifestyle Initiative saw improved health for young children participating in the New York State (NYS) WIC program: breastfeeding mothers and mothers waiting to feed infants solid foods increased; screen time and overall overweight and obesity decreased among children in NYS under four years of age.

Do All Americans Have Equal Access to Healthy Foods?

December 11, 2012 | Issue Brief

Many Americans lack regular access to healthy, affordable foods. Supermarkets provide the most reliable access to nutritious and affordable produce, and their presence is an important indicator of a community's physical health and economic vitality.

Are Americans Ready to Solve the Weight of the Nation?

August 2, 2012 | Journal Article

Obesity prevention social marketing is needed, but care should be taken not to stigmatize obese people and risk increased feelings of shame felt particularly by obese children.

Re/Storing Nashville

August 25, 2011 | Program Result

Re/Storing Nashville sought to address lack of access to healthy foods and childhood obesity in three Nashville neighborhoods by increasing residents' access to full-service grocery stores.

Faith & Food

August 4, 2011 | Program Result

The Center for Closing the Health Gap in Greater Cincinnati, in partnership with three Avondale neighborhood churches, mobilized a faith-based coalition to advance policies to improve the availability of healthy, affordable foods.

Promoting Model Federal Policies to Improve Local Food Environments

August 1, 2011 | Program Result

PolicyLink, in partnership with the Food Trust and the Reinvestment Fund, developed and promoted model federal policies to improve local food environments and increase access to healthy, affordable foods.

A National Grassroots Campaign for Healthier Food

May 23, 2011 | Program Result

From 2009 to 2010, Active Voice, San Francisco, organized Ingredients for Change, a nationwide grassroots campaign designed to spur public awareness and advocacy around healthy food, food justice and childhood obesity.

Re/Storing Nashville

May 9, 2011 | Video/Story

In Nashville, a coalition of faith leaders seeks to improve health and prevent obesity by ensuring access to healthy foods in three underserved neighborhoods without quality grocery stores.

Impact of Targeted Beverage Taxes on Higher- and Lower-Income Households

December 13, 2010 | Journal Article

A sugar-sweetened beverage tax would affect the waistline and wallet of middle-income households more than that of those in low-income and high income brackets.

A New Light Rail Line with Stops in Low-Income Neighborhoods

August 4, 2010 | Program Result

ISAIAH, a faith-based community organization of 90 congregations, mobilized community activists to promote the links between transportation and access to healthy foods and to bring light-rail stops to low-income neighborhoods in the Twin Cities.