Sixty Percent of Foods Advertised in Grocery Store Flyers are Not In-line with Canada’s Food Guide
Publication: Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
11 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate foods advertised in discount and premium grocery flyers for their alignment with Canada’s 2007 Food Guide (CFG) and assess if alignment differed by food category, season, page location, and price.
Methods: Weekly flyers (n = 192) were collected from discount and premium grocery chains from each of 4 seasons. Health Canada’s Surveillance Tool was used to assess food items as in-line or not in-line with CFG.
Results: Of 35 576 food items, 39.7% were in-line with CFG. There were no differences in proportions of foods not in-line in discount versus premium flyers (60.9% and 60.0%, respectively). Other Foods and Meat & Alternatives were advertised most (28.0% and 26.3%, respectively; P < 0.001). Milk & Alternatives were the least advertised food group (10.3%). Vegetables & Fruit (19.6%), Grains (21.6%), Milk & Alternatives (20.6%), and Meat & Alternatives (20.2%) were promoted least in Fall (P < 0.001). A higher proportion of foods advertised on middle pages were not in-line (61.0%) compared with front (56.6%) and back (58.8%) pages (P < 0.001). Not in-line foods were more expensive ($3.49, IQR = $2.82) than in-line foods ($3.28, IQR = $2.81; P < 0.001).
Conclusions: While there was no difference in healthfulness of foods advertised in discount versus premium flyers, grocers advertised more foods not in-line with CFG. Government policies to improve the food environment should consider grocery flyers.
Résumé
Objectif. Évaluer la conformité des aliments annoncés dans les circulaires d’épiceries au rabais et haut de gamme aux recommandations du Guide alimentaire canadien (GAC) de 2007, et déterminer si la conformité varie selon la catégorie d’aliments, la saison, l’emplacement dans la circulaire et le prix.
Méthodes. Des circulaires hebdomadaires (n = 192) ont été recueillies auprès de chaînes d’épiceries au rabais et haut de gamme au cours des 4 saisons. L’outil de surveillance de Santé Canada a été utilisé pour déterminer si les aliments sont conformes ou non aux recommandations du GAC.
Résultats. Sur 35 576 aliments, 39,7 % étaient conformes aux recommandations du GAC. Il n’y avait aucune différence quant aux proportions d’aliments non conformes aux recommandations entre les circulaires d’épiceries au rabais et celles d’épiceries haut de gamme (60,9 % et 60,0 %, respectivement). Les groupes alimentaires Autres aliments et Viandes et substituts étaient les plus annoncés (28,0 % et 26,3 %, respectivement; P < 0,001). Le groupe Lait et substituts était le moins publicisé (10,3 %). Les groupes Légumes et fruits (19,6 %), Produits céréaliers (21,6 %), Lait et substituts (20,6 %) et Viandes et substituts (20,2 %) étaient les moins promus à l’automne (P < 0,001). Une plus grande proportion d’aliments annoncés dans les pages centrales n’étaient pas conformes (61,0 %) comparativement à ceux présentés à la première (56,6 %) et à la dernière page (58,8 %) (P < 0,001). Les aliments non conformes étaient plus chers (3,49 $, EI = 2,82 $) que les aliments recommandés (3,28 $, EI = 2,81 $; P < 0,001).
Conclusions. Bien qu’il n’y ait aucune différence entre les aliments annoncés dans les circulaires d’épiceries au rabais vs haut de gamme, les épiciers annonçaient plus d’aliments non conformes aux recommandations du GAC. Les politiques gouvernementales visant à améliorer l’environnement alimentaire devraient tenir compte des circulaires d’épicerie.
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Published In
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
Volume 83 • Number 2 • June 2022
Pages: 52 - 58
Editor: Naomi Cahill
History
Version of record online: 11 January 2022
Copyright
© 2022.
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Natalie A.LaframboiseMScFN, RD, Jamie A.SeabrookPhD, June I.MatthewsPhD, PHEc, RD, and Paula D. N.DworatzekPhD, PHEc, RD. 2022. Sixty Percent of Foods Advertised in Grocery Store Flyers are Not In-line with Canada’s Food Guide. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research.
83(2): 52-58. https://doi.org/10.3148/cjdpr-2021-035
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