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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Neighborhood Environments

January 1, 2009 | Journal Article

The availability of fresh produce and other healthy food options is better in higher-income and white neighborhoods. Complex relationships exist between dietary patterns, demographics and health. These relationships must be explored for the purpose of developing responsive health policy.

University of Buffalo Professor Encourages Planners to Create Communities That Facilitate Healthy Food Systems and Healthy Eating

February 22, 2010 | Story

Samina Raja's active living research includes a National Institutes of Health grant to study how well an effort to increase physical activity in youth works among children living in areas with high access and in areas with low access to parks.

Growing a Healthier City, One Garden at a Time

December 28, 2009 | Story

Father William Weiksnar, Vianca Salcedo and Alex Checo take a break from their work to smile for a photo. Increasing access to healthy foods is a key component of the Foundation’s strategy to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. And nowhere is th ...

Study Shows a Little Money Buys a Lot of Calories at City Corner Stores

October 12, 2009 | News Release

Fifty-three percent of kids surveyed visited a corner store daily, five days per week; Chips and candy top the list of items purchased, but efforts are being made to increase healthy options.

Philadelphia Project Works with Corner Stores to Improve Students' Snacking Choices

February 1, 2007 | Program Result

Staff at The Food Trust conducted a Corner Store Campaign to change the school and community environments to support healthy eating among children and adolescents.

Creating Gardens in 15 North Carolina Counties

September 20, 2009 | Program Result

FirstHealth is a nonprofit health system covering 15 counties with a network of hospitals, health and fitness centers, primary and dental care centers, and a hospice and home care program.

Monitoring Foods and Nutrients Sold and Consumed in the United States

January 1, 2012 | Journal Article

As food production and consumption change, researchers look to datasets to provide information on food in America.

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.

The Hunger Action Network Brings Vegetables to Thousands of Plates

May 23, 2011 | Program Result

The Hunger Action Network increased access to healthy, affordable food among low-income residents in selected neighborhoods in New York City and Schenectady, N.Y.

Snacking in Children

November 1, 2009 | Journal Article

The easy availability of low-nutrition snacks may contribute to childhood obesity in minority and low-income communities.