title: Economic incentives to promote healthier food purchases: exploring acceptability and key factors for success.
abstract: Despite increasing interest, little is known about the beliefs and views of the public in relation to the use of economic incentives as a means to promote healthy eating. This study explores views of ethnically and socioeconomically diverse shoppers regarding acceptability of economic incentives to promote healthier food purchases, and factors likely to affect the success of such schemes. Six focus groups (n = 36 participants; 14 Māori, 12 Pacific, 10 non-ethnic specific low income), were held in Auckland, New Zealand, in October 2009. A general inductive approach was used to identify common themes. The single most important reported food purchasing influence was cost. Focus group participants viewed the concept of economic incentives to promote healthy eating positively, as long as such schemes provided worthwhile incentives, and were simple and convenient to use. The preferred option for delivery was a pre-loaded electronic swipe card. Fruit and vegetables were the food group most participants said they would like to see incentivized. There was marked variability in the incentive amount thought sufficient to promote participation in such a scheme. Our findings suggest economic incentives hold promise as a means to promote healthier household food purchases, and their effectiveness should be evaluated using robust, randomized trials.
authors: Clinical Trials Research Unit, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. c.nimhurchu@ctru.auckland.ac.nz
authors: Cliona
authors: C
authors: Ni Mhurchu
authors: Helen
authors: H
authors: Eyles
authors: Robyn
authors: R
authors: Dixon
authors: Leonie
authors: L
authors: Matoe
authors: Tasileta
authors: T
authors: Teevale
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Meagher-Lundberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005502:Food / Q000191:economics; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009520:New Zealand; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult