Calls for Australia to follow England's ban on supermarket junk food specials
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There are calls for Australia to follow England's lead and ban multi-buy promotions for junk food after research confirmed supermarkets continue to put unhealthy food on special twice as often as more nutritious alternatives.
In 2019, researchers from Deakin University's Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE) studied the weekly online prices of almost 1,600 foods at Australia's largest supermarkets across the course of a year.
Their study found an average of nearly 29 per cent of unhealthy foods were discounted or on special on any given week.
But for healthy foods — including bread, muesli, oats, canned legumes, frozen vegetables and low-sugar breakfast cereals — the figure was only 15.
Those findings were reviewed this year and — while the update is yet to be published — GLOBE's associate director Adrian Cameron says the results were the same.
Mr Cameron said this year's findings showed the products being promoted more often also tended to have a larger environmental footprint due to their production and packaging processes.
"The more they were on price promotion, the worse they were for the people and for the planet," he said.
The measure had been in the works for several years but was delayed because of the cost-of-living crisis.
Wales is introducing similar restrictions next year and Scotland has said it will also adopt the legislation.
Australia's Food for Health Alliance — formerly known as the Obesity Policy Coalition — said price discounts and multi-buy promotions often led to impulse buying rather than helping customers afford their grocery lists.
The alliance's Jane Martin called on the federal government to follow the UK's example and stop supermarkets from enticing people into buying unhealthy food.
"We know from research that purchases of price-promoted products tend to result in stockpiling and increased overall consumption of those products," Ms Martin said.
"They encourage additional purchases and greater volume purchases."
Ms Martin pointed to a 2023 Cancer Council Victoria survey of more than 2,000 Australians that found about four in five adults noticed unhealthy food and drink promotions while shopping in a supermarket.
Almost two-thirds of respondents said price discounts prompted them to buy more unhealthy food than they intended, and 38 per cent nominated multi-buy offers as their reason for over-purchasing.
"So it does create these sort of unplanned purchases, impulse purchases, and if we could shift that to healthier foods, to fruit and veg and other healthier products … then that could have a significant impact on health," Ms Martin said.
"So not just increasing the amount of healthy, nourishing food that people are buying but also pushing them away from these unhealthy packaged foods that they're only buying because they're price-promoted."
Alexandra Chung, a senior lecturer at Monash University's Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, said the pattern was replicated across a wide range of products.
The dietician's team analysed the baby and toddler foods advertised in supermarket catalogues and found the discounted items were dominated by packaged products that often did not meet children's health and development needs.
"We know that packaged foods are really dominated by foods that are quite high in fruit concentrates and added sugars," Dr Chung said.
"They don't tend to offer the nutritional variety that babies and young children need."
The survey of 8,800 households found one in eight were unable to access food in the quantity and quality they needed to live an active and healthy life, and were more likely to have poorer diets with inadequate nutrients as a result.
Dr Chung said the price discounts were a powerful marketing tool that influenced what shoppers put in their trolleys — especially those struggling financially.
“When we're seeing unhealthy items being promoted through specials and price promotions over and above healthy foods, that can really compound the challenges that families who are struggling financially would face," she said.
"Some families have to spend a third of their household budget on groceries if they're looking to try and purchase a healthy diet."
Dr Chung and Ms Martin both believed supermarkets had a responsibility to do more to promote foods needed for everyday health and wellbeing.
"Governments could have stronger restrictions on the use of price promotion on unhealthy foods and that would mean … consumers would get a better deal at the end of the day," Dr Chung said.
GLOBE's Professor Cameron agreed that supermarkets had a moral responsibility.
"They would probably say they have a responsibility to their shareholders — which is partially true — but I would say that they equally have a very big responsibility to their customers," he said.
"They shouldn't be making it hard to to live a healthy life."
A spokesperson for the Assistant Minister for Health, Rebecca White, did not respond to the ABC's questions about whether the federal government was considering following the UK's ban on junk food specials.
She said the government supported a range of initiatives to help Australians have access to and make healthier food and drink choices.
"This ranges from funding updated dietary guidelines and supporting the Health Star Rating system to working with food industry to reduce the amount of sodium, sugar and saturated fat across a range of products through the Healthy Food Partnership Reformulation Program," she said.
Woolworths said it was aware that health ranked as a top priority for its customers, and that it was committed to making healthier food more accessible and affordable.
"Sales of healthier products continue to grow, both on and off promotion, and many of our promotions provide customers with extra value on foods that are better for them and their families," a Woolworths spokesperson said.
"We also have programs in place to encourage healthy eating and active lifestyles for children."
Coles said it was working with stakeholders, suppliers and customers to develop strategies to help Australians eat healthy foods.
"We adhere to a range of voluntary self-regulatory codes designed to help Australians make informed decisions and reduce exposure to unhealthy food options," a spokesperson said.
Written by Melissa Brown, ABC News.
In 2019, researchers from Deakin University's Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE) studied the weekly online prices of almost 1,600 foods at Australia's largest supermarkets across the course of a year.
Their study found an average of nearly 29 per cent of unhealthy foods were discounted or on special on any given week.
But for healthy foods — including bread, muesli, oats, canned legumes, frozen vegetables and low-sugar breakfast cereals — the figure was only 15.
Those findings were reviewed this year and — while the update is yet to be published — GLOBE's associate director Adrian Cameron says the results were the same.
A year-long study found an average of about 29 per cent of junk foods were put on special on any given week. (ABC: Alys Marshall)
Mr Cameron said this year's findings showed the products being promoted more often also tended to have a larger environmental footprint due to their production and packaging processes.
"The more they were on price promotion, the worse they were for the people and for the planet," he said.
Call for Australia to ban junk food specials
A ban on multi-buy and buy one, get one free specials on unhealthy foods and drinks came into effect in England on October 1.The measure had been in the works for several years but was delayed because of the cost-of-living crisis.
Wales is introducing similar restrictions next year and Scotland has said it will also adopt the legislation.
Jane Martin says specials and multi-buy offers encourage impulse buying. (Supplied: Food for Health Alliance)
Australia's Food for Health Alliance — formerly known as the Obesity Policy Coalition — said price discounts and multi-buy promotions often led to impulse buying rather than helping customers afford their grocery lists.
The alliance's Jane Martin called on the federal government to follow the UK's example and stop supermarkets from enticing people into buying unhealthy food.
"We know from research that purchases of price-promoted products tend to result in stockpiling and increased overall consumption of those products," Ms Martin said.
"They encourage additional purchases and greater volume purchases."
Ms Martin pointed to a 2023 Cancer Council Victoria survey of more than 2,000 Australians that found about four in five adults noticed unhealthy food and drink promotions while shopping in a supermarket.
Almost two-thirds of respondents said price discounts prompted them to buy more unhealthy food than they intended, and 38 per cent nominated multi-buy offers as their reason for over-purchasing.
The majority of Australians surveyed say they noticed specials on unhealthy foods and drinks when shopping. (ABC News: Erin Parke)
"So it does create these sort of unplanned purchases, impulse purchases, and if we could shift that to healthier foods, to fruit and veg and other healthier products … then that could have a significant impact on health," Ms Martin said.
"So not just increasing the amount of healthy, nourishing food that people are buying but also pushing them away from these unhealthy packaged foods that they're only buying because they're price-promoted."
Dr Alexandra Chung says baby food specials are dominated by products that are high in sugar and low in nutrition. (Supplied: Alexandra Chung)
Alexandra Chung, a senior lecturer at Monash University's Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, said the pattern was replicated across a wide range of products.
The dietician's team analysed the baby and toddler foods advertised in supermarket catalogues and found the discounted items were dominated by packaged products that often did not meet children's health and development needs.
"We know that packaged foods are really dominated by foods that are quite high in fruit concentrates and added sugars," Dr Chung said.
"They don't tend to offer the nutritional variety that babies and young children need."
A price problem with flow-on effects
The federal government's latest National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey concluded 1.3 million Australian households experienced food insecurity in 2023.The survey of 8,800 households found one in eight were unable to access food in the quantity and quality they needed to live an active and healthy life, and were more likely to have poorer diets with inadequate nutrients as a result.
Dr Chung said the price discounts were a powerful marketing tool that influenced what shoppers put in their trolleys — especially those struggling financially.
“When we're seeing unhealthy items being promoted through specials and price promotions over and above healthy foods, that can really compound the challenges that families who are struggling financially would face," she said.
"Some families have to spend a third of their household budget on groceries if they're looking to try and purchase a healthy diet."
Dr Chung and Ms Martin both believed supermarkets had a responsibility to do more to promote foods needed for everyday health and wellbeing.
Dr Chung says more needs to be done to normalise the consumption of healthy foods over junk food. (Unsplash)
"Governments could have stronger restrictions on the use of price promotion on unhealthy foods and that would mean … consumers would get a better deal at the end of the day," Dr Chung said.
GLOBE's Professor Cameron agreed that supermarkets had a moral responsibility.
"They would probably say they have a responsibility to their shareholders — which is partially true — but I would say that they equally have a very big responsibility to their customers," he said.
"They shouldn't be making it hard to to live a healthy life."
The federal government did not address the calls for a ban on junk food specials. (ABC RN: Teresa Tan)
A spokesperson for the Assistant Minister for Health, Rebecca White, did not respond to the ABC's questions about whether the federal government was considering following the UK's ban on junk food specials.
She said the government supported a range of initiatives to help Australians have access to and make healthier food and drink choices.
"This ranges from funding updated dietary guidelines and supporting the Health Star Rating system to working with food industry to reduce the amount of sodium, sugar and saturated fat across a range of products through the Healthy Food Partnership Reformulation Program," she said.
She said the government had commissioned a feasibility study to examine the marketing of unhealthy food to children, due for completion early next year.
Woolworths said it was aware that health ranked as a top priority for its customers, and that it was committed to making healthier food more accessible and affordable.
"Sales of healthier products continue to grow, both on and off promotion, and many of our promotions provide customers with extra value on foods that are better for them and their families," a Woolworths spokesperson said.
"We also have programs in place to encourage healthy eating and active lifestyles for children."
Coles said it was working with stakeholders, suppliers and customers to develop strategies to help Australians eat healthy foods.
"We adhere to a range of voluntary self-regulatory codes designed to help Australians make informed decisions and reduce exposure to unhealthy food options," a spokesperson said.
Written by Melissa Brown, ABC News.
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