Study context
Sugar reduction
The partnership with ALPA for this study stemmed from a long, over two-decade relationship between a number of the research team members and ALPA. ALPA has a strong social purpose and developed a Health and Nutrition strategy in the 1980s for its stores and has since subsidised the freight cost on fruit and vegetables and supported nutrition promotion activities in their stores and the communities they serve. ALPA’s Health and Nutrition strategy has objectives to increase the availability and affordability of nutritious foods and increase understanding of health, good food, and nutrition of the community. Prior to Healthy Stores 2020, ALPA had considered a policy to not stock unhealthy products at end-of-aisle and front-of-store. Sugar reduction was seen as a priority by the ALPA Board and by community representatives, many who had voiced concern to members of the research team that high sugar intakes are contributing to adverse health outcomes in their communities. A previous trial conducted by the research team in 2015 with ALPA (the SHOP@RIC trial) [