The comparative cost of food and beverages at remote Indigenous communities, Northern Territory, Australia
Abstract Objective: To determine the average price difference between foods and beverages in remote Indigenous community stores and capital city supermarkets and explore differences across products. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey compared prices derived from point‐of‐sale data in 20 remote Northe...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2016-04-01
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| Series: | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12370 |
| _version_ | 1797710370649931776 |
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| author | Megan Ferguson Kerin O'Dea Mark Chatfield Marjory Moodie Jon Altman Julie Brimblecombe |
| author_facet | Megan Ferguson Kerin O'Dea Mark Chatfield Marjory Moodie Jon Altman Julie Brimblecombe |
| author_sort | Megan Ferguson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective: To determine the average price difference between foods and beverages in remote Indigenous community stores and capital city supermarkets and explore differences across products. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey compared prices derived from point‐of‐sale data in 20 remote Northern Territory stores with supermarkets in capital cities of the Northern Territory and South Australia for groceries commonly purchased in remote stores. Average price differences for products, supply categories and food groups were examined. Results: The 443 products examined represented 63% of food and beverage expenditure in remote stores. Remote products were, on average, 60% and 68% more expensive than advertised prices for Darwin and Adelaide supermarkets, respectively. The average price difference for fresh products was half that of packaged groceries for Darwin supermarkets and more than 50% for food groups that contributed most to purchasing. Conclusions: Strategies employed by manufacturers and supermarkets, such as promotional pricing, and supermarkets’ generic products lead to lower prices. These opportunities are not equally available to remote customers and are a major driver of price disparity. Implications: Food affordability for already disadvantaged residents of remote communities could be improved by policies targeted at manufacturers, wholesalers and/or major supermarket chains. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:51:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-710a5ee6b6544a61abf5adf65f0842a3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1326-0200 1753-6405 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T06:51:14Z |
| publishDate | 2016-04-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-710a5ee6b6544a61abf5adf65f0842a32023-09-03T00:16:03ZengElsevierAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health1326-02001753-64052016-04-0140S1S21S2610.1111/1753-6405.12370The comparative cost of food and beverages at remote Indigenous communities, Northern Territory, AustraliaMegan Ferguson0Kerin O'Dea1Mark Chatfield2Marjory Moodie3Jon Altman4Julie Brimblecombe5Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases Division Menzies School of Health Research Northern TerritorySchool of Population Health Division of Health Sciences, University of South AustraliaStatistics Department Menzies School of Health Research Northern TerritoryDeakin Health Economics Faculty of Health, Deakin University VictoriaRegulatory Institutions Network, College of Asia and the Pacific Australian National University Australian Capital TerritoryWellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases Division Menzies School of Health Research Northern TerritoryAbstract Objective: To determine the average price difference between foods and beverages in remote Indigenous community stores and capital city supermarkets and explore differences across products. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey compared prices derived from point‐of‐sale data in 20 remote Northern Territory stores with supermarkets in capital cities of the Northern Territory and South Australia for groceries commonly purchased in remote stores. Average price differences for products, supply categories and food groups were examined. Results: The 443 products examined represented 63% of food and beverage expenditure in remote stores. Remote products were, on average, 60% and 68% more expensive than advertised prices for Darwin and Adelaide supermarkets, respectively. The average price difference for fresh products was half that of packaged groceries for Darwin supermarkets and more than 50% for food groups that contributed most to purchasing. Conclusions: Strategies employed by manufacturers and supermarkets, such as promotional pricing, and supermarkets’ generic products lead to lower prices. These opportunities are not equally available to remote customers and are a major driver of price disparity. Implications: Food affordability for already disadvantaged residents of remote communities could be improved by policies targeted at manufacturers, wholesalers and/or major supermarket chains.https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12370food costremote Indigenouspublic policy |
| spellingShingle | Megan Ferguson Kerin O'Dea Mark Chatfield Marjory Moodie Jon Altman Julie Brimblecombe The comparative cost of food and beverages at remote Indigenous communities, Northern Territory, Australia Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health food cost remote Indigenous public policy |
| title | The comparative cost of food and beverages at remote Indigenous communities, Northern Territory, Australia |
| title_full | The comparative cost of food and beverages at remote Indigenous communities, Northern Territory, Australia |
| title_fullStr | The comparative cost of food and beverages at remote Indigenous communities, Northern Territory, Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | The comparative cost of food and beverages at remote Indigenous communities, Northern Territory, Australia |
| title_short | The comparative cost of food and beverages at remote Indigenous communities, Northern Territory, Australia |
| title_sort | comparative cost of food and beverages at remote indigenous communities northern territory australia |
| topic | food cost remote Indigenous public policy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12370 |
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