Multi-level supermarket discounts of fruits and vegetables on intake and health

 描述(申请人提供)：水果和蔬菜(F&V)的相对价格很高，这使得购买这些健康食品对许多购物者来说是一个经济困难。最近提出了政府补贴加上公共部门和私营部门的倡议，以激励购买F&V。然而，如果不首先对降价对消费者需求、消费和盈利能力的影响进行实验评估，就很难确定F&V的合理和适当的定价。这项拟议的研究考察了曼哈顿一家超市连锁店的六家门店的超重和肥胖(25；BMI≤40)购物者购买F&V时，5折、25折和12.5折与0折相比的主要和持续的影响。招聘人员将从这些商店中招募400名购物者，以获得约300名完成者。在4周的基准期(没有折扣)之后，参与者将被随机分配到32周的干预期内获得50%、25%、12.5%或0%的折扣，以及16周的跟踪期(没有折扣)。折扣将在4周后通过参与者的忠诚度扫描卡自动激活，该卡还将跟踪所有购买。主要目的是衡量四个折扣水平对干预期间F&V的购买和消费以及干预结束时的健康结果的影响。此外，一个主要目标是衡量折扣在后续期间对这些结果的持续影响。预计F&V的折扣越大，F&V的购买和消费增长就越大，特别是对收入相对较低的人。F&V购买和消费的这些增加预计将导致健康结果的改善，如体重和脂肪减少，以及减少心脏代谢风险因素。将绘制所有折扣水平的F&V购买和消费需求曲线，以帮助选择最佳折扣水平。研究结果应该有助于向政府政策制定者提供适当的补贴，以促进健康食品的选择。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The relative price of fruits and vegetables (F&V) is high, making purchasing of these healthy foods an economic hardship for many shoppers. Government subsidies coupled with public-sector and private-sector initiatives to incentivize the purchasing of F&V have recently been proposed. It would be difficult, however, to determine a reasonable and appropriate pricing of F&V, without first experimentally assessing the impact of price reduction on consumer demand, consumption, and profitability. The proposed study examines the main and sustained effects of 50%, 25%, and 12.5% discounts, versus 0% discount, on purchasing of F&V by overweight and obese (25 < BMI ≤ 40) shoppers in six stores of a Manhattan supermarket chain. Recruitment will be for 400 shoppers from within these stores to obtain an estimated 300 completers. After a 4-week baseline period (no discounts), participants will be randomly assigned to receive a 50%, 25%, 12.5%, or 0% discount during a 32-week intervention period, with a 16-week follow-up period (no discounts). The discounts will be automatically activated after 4 weeks through the participant's loyalty scan card, which will also track all purchases. The primary aims are to measure the effects of the four discount levels on purchasing and consumption of F&V during the intervention period and the health outcomes at the end of the intervention period. Additionally, a primary aim is to measure the sustained effects of the discounts on these outcomes during the follow-up period. It is expected that the larger the discount on F&V, the greater the increase in purchasing and consumption of F&V, especially for those with relatively low incomes. These increases in F&V purchasing and consumption are expected to lead to improved health outcomes, such as weight and fat loss as well as reduced cardio metabolic risk factors. Demand curves for purchasing and consumption of F&V will be drawn for all the discount levels to help select optimal discount levels. The study findings should help to inform government policymakers on the appropriate subsidies to consider for promoting healthy food choices.