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Pester power: snackfoods displayed at supermarket checkouts in Melbourne, Australia
Author(s) -
Dixon Helen,
Scully Maree,
Parkinson Kristiina
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
health promotion journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 2201-1617
pISSN - 1036-1073
DOI - 10.1071/he06124
Subject(s) - original research , computer science , library science
Issue addressed To establish the amount and accessibility of snack food displayed at supermarket checkouts located in Melbourne, Australia. Methods Observational survey of 24 randomly selected supermarkets situated within a 20‐kilometre radius of Melbourne's General Post Office. Individual checkouts within each store (n=257) were observed to determine the types of items that were displayed, how they were promoted, and whether they were within the reach of children. Results All supermarkets surveyed displayed food products at their checkouts, with most checkouts displaying chocolate (87%), gum (81%) and sweets (80%). Only 7% of checkouts had their display of foods or drinks out of the reach of children. Conclusions Foods displayed at supermarket checkouts in Melbourne are predominantly energy‐dense confectionery items. They are often promoted in a way that targets children and encourages parents to impulse buy for their children. So what? The common practice of merchandising confectionery at checkouts places pressure on parents to purchase energydense food for their children through the effects of ‘pester power’. With childhood obesity an important public health problem in Australia, efforts should be made to encourage supermarkets to reduce the amount of snack food displayed at checkouts and provide parents with children the option of confectionery‐free checkouts.