Three teenagers are looking at a display of crisps on some shop shelves.

Children's health and food

Evaluation of the Lambeth Schools Superzones convenience store project

Creating a healthier food environment for children and young people

Download the report (pdf)

All children should have the opportunity to be healthy, no matter where they live. This includes access to enough nutritious, affordable, culturally appropriate food. Yet children’s chances of accessing healthy food – or being flooded with unhealthy food – depend strongly on where they grow up. Children and families living in inner city areas like Lambeth are more likely to have limited access to nutritious, affordable food options in their local shops, be exposed to unhealthy food advertising, promotions and unhealthy formulations and experience food-related ill health.

What is the Lambeth Schools Superzones convenience store project?

The Lambeth School Superzones Convenience Store Project aimed to create a healthier food environment for children by:

Talking with children to understand their purchasing behaviours in convenience stores and the factors that influence their purchasing decisions
Working with convenience stores close to schools to stock and promote healthier alternatives within their store

The project was co-funded by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and delivered by Rice Marketing – a marketing agency specialising in local retail. The project built upon previous work with convenience stores and wholesalers in Southwark, supported by the Mayor of London’s Good Food Retail programme and Impact on Urban Health.

The aim of the evaluation was to look at how effective the project was at increasing the range of healthier options in convenience stores and the impact that this had on stores and consumers, especially school aged children. The evaluation measured key changes, such as the increase in healthier options across different categories of food and stores, and other changes stores made to highlight healthier options. It also gathered qualitative data from the store owners on how the experience influenced their approach to stocking healthier options.

The evaluation shows...it is possible to increase access to healthier options in independent convenience stores. Once they are on the shelves, healthier products sell.

Lambeth School Superzones Convenience Store Project Evaluation

Key findings of the evaluation

All ten convenience store owners who participated in the project increased the number of healthier lines they stocked within their stores, increasing their offer by an average of 12-13 products per store.

The greatest improvements were made in the crisps and snacking, and soft drinks categories. In addition:

Four store owners moved healthier alternative lines to more prominent locations within their stores
Four store owners added healthier snacking options by the checkout or till
Eight stores now display a healthy start sticker in their window

The evaluation contains key learnings from the project, including insight into how children use convenience stores, and practical learning about what it takes to get healthier lines stocked in convenience stores.

All shops added more healthier items and stocked them alongside less healthy alternatives; some shops also improved visibility of healthier options.

Next steps

Rice Marketing are continuing to support a number of convenience stores and local authorities, across London and beyond
Bright Purpose, an evaluation and organisational development consultancy are supporting the work by evaluating how best to sustain the healthier changes made convenience stores