Putting health at the heart of convenience

The Good Food Wholesale and Retail Pilot was set up to improve access to healthier food options in the London Borough of Southwark, by increasing the range of healthier products sold in the borough’s local convenience stores. The project was co-funded by Impact on Urban Health and Southwark Council and delivered by Rice Marketing – a marketing agency specialising in local retail.

Why did we run the pilot?

Access to healthy food in the UK is incredibly unequal. Our chances of accessing healthy food at an affordable price depends on where we live.  Many urban areas with a high proportion of families living on a lower average income, like Southwark, are flooded with unhealthy food options. As a result, children living in these places are more likely to be both malnourished and obese. The food industry needs to come together to address this issue.

Without action to ensure healthier products are available and sold at either the same price or cheaper than unhealthy alternatives, people, particularly those living on a low income, will be pushed towards the unhealthy food and drink that floods many urban communities and contributes to health inequalities.

Supporting and encouraging the food industry to work together to meet this need will not only have the greatest impact on health but can also support increased retail sales.

Find out more

This report shares insights gathered during pilot activity which ran from January 2021 to April 2022, building on lessons learned from a 2020 small-scale pilot. The project brought together food industry retailers, wholesalers and suppliers.

We also have produced a video to bring the latest report to life:

Watch the full video below