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Table 3 Responses towards the nine specifically asked pricing strategies.

From: Perceptions on the use of pricing strategies to stimulate healthy eating among residents of deprived neighbourhoods: a focus group study

 

Pricing strategy

Positive (++)

Negative (--)

1

Tax increase on unhealthy food items

- unhealthy food may become less attractive

- may result in opposite effects

- patronizing

- is not effective, food remains attractive

- is regressive

2

Subsidizing healthy foods

- motivating

- encouraging to buy more healthy food

- direct effect

- applies to whole population

- someone has to pay for the allowances

3

Allowance for low-income groups designed to purchase healthy food

- extra money may result in buying more healthy food

- extra money may not be spent on healthy foods

- indirect effect

- restricted to low-income consumers

4

Insurance premium cutback when a healthy diet is comprised

- motivating

- encouraging to buy more healthy food

- difficult to implement

- unverifiable

- indirect effect

5

Healthy food options being on offer more frequently

- motivating

- stimulating to buy more healthy food

- direct effect

- saved money may not be spend on healthy foods

6

Prohibition of discounts on unhealthy food items

- fair (especially involving children)

- discouraging

- patronizing

- difficult to implement

7

Offering small presents, extras or saving stamps with healthy food items

- motivating

- encouraging to buy more healthy food (especially for children)

- none listed

8

Making healthy food items cheaper and unhealthy food items more expensive

- fair

- encouraging to buy more healthy food

- more effective than only providing discounts on healthy foods

- difficult to implement

9

Healthy food items discount card exclusively for low-income groups

- fair

- encouraging to buy more healthy food

- discount cards are heavily used and effective

- indirectly, people have to pay for such allowances

- restricted to low-income consumers