A Commentary on the Healthy Community Stores Case Study Project: Implications for Retailers, Policy, and Future Research

Samantha M. Sundermeir, Megan R. Winkler, Sara John, Uriyoán Colón-Ramos, Ravneet Kaur, Ashley Hickson, Rachael D. Dombrowski, Alex B. Hill, Bree Bode, Julia DeAngelo and Joel Gittelsohn
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Samantha M. Sundermeir: Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Megan R. Winkler: Department of Behavioral, Social and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Sara John: Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington, DC 20005, USA
Uriyoán Colón-Ramos: Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, 950 New Hampshire Avenue, Washington, DC 20052, USA
Ravneet Kaur: Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford, IL 61107, USA
Ashley Hickson: Center for Science in the Public Interest, Washington, DC 20005, USA
Rachael D. Dombrowski: Division of Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies, College of Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
Alex B. Hill: Urban Studies and Planning and Detroit Food Map Initiative, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
Bree Bode: Division of Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies, College of Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
Julia DeAngelo: Departments of Health Policy Management & Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Joel Gittelsohn: Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-11

Abstract: In the United States, low-income, underserved rural and urban settings experience poor access to healthy, affordable food. Introducing new food outlets in these locations has shown mixed results for improving healthy food consumption. The Healthy Community Stores Case Study Project (HCSCSP) explored an alternative strategy: supporting mission-driven, locally owned, healthy community food stores to improve healthy food access. The HCSCSP used a multiple case study approach, and conducted a cross-case analysis of seven urban healthy food stores across the United States. The main purpose of this commentary paper is to summarize the main practice strategies for stores as well as future directions for researchers and policy-makers based on results from the prior cross-case analyses. We organize these strategies using key concepts from the Retail Food Environment and Customer Interaction Model. Several key strategies for store success are presented including the use of non-traditional business models, focus on specific retail actors such as store champions and multiple vendor relationships, and a stores’ role in the broader community context, as well as the striking challenges faced across store locations. Further exploration of these store strategies and how they are implemented is needed, and may inform policies that can support these types of healthy retail sites and sustain their efforts in improving healthy food access in their communities.

Keywords: healthy food retail; food access; low-income; community food store; locally owned; case studies; qualitative (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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