Sonoma County Healthy Retail Project

The Healthy Retail Project takes a positive approach to working with stores, where store owners, project staff, and nearby residents work together to make healthy store changes. These changes include improving the variety and quality of fresh produce, reducing unhealthy products and promotion, and increasing healthy advertising. Attracting more customers and increasing profits are important principles of the project, and positive relationship building is the key to success.

In the past, it was believed that personal choice was the only factor dictating a person's health. However, research shows that the retail environment, targeted advertising, and the products available also play a role. With rates of diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and tobacco and alcohol use among youth on the rise in our communities, the Project improves access to healthy food and reduces exposure to unhealthy products and messaging where people live, work, and play. Through the Healthy Retail Project, participating stores are recognized for selling a variety of healthy food options; complying with food safety, tobacco, and alcohol laws; reducing the amount of unhealthy products for sale; and removing advertising related to unhealthy lifestyles from the store, both inside and out. Additionally, stores are recognized for helping to create a safe and inviting environment in and around their stores.

The Healthy Retail Project began in 2008, with funding from Northern California Kaiser Permanente's Healthy Eating, Active Living grant. The project is managed by the County of Sonoma, Department of Health Services, and partners include the Northern California Center for Well-Being, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital's Community Benefits Department, the County Nutrition Action Plan (CNAP) Workgroup, and residents from communities near Project retailers. The project is endorsed by Health Action and serves three Portrait of Sonoma priority neighborhoods, as well as three additional neighborhoods throughout the County. The Healthy Retail Project was one of the first healthy retail initiatives in the country, as well as one of the first to integrate tobacco use and alcohol abuse prevention efforts into its work with retailers. Many other communities have followed suit and have asked and received training and technical assistance from Project staff.

This program was formerly known as the Healthy Food Outlet Project.

The goal of the Healthy Retail Project is to increase access to healthier foods and beverages; decrease the availability of unhealthy products; increase compliance with alcohol, tobacco, and food safety laws; and increase customer loyalty and store profits.

Over 60% of stores assessed in 2014 met Healthy Retail Project Standards and all participating stores increased their food environment score over baseline.

-9 out of 14 stores assessed in 2014 met Healthy Retail Project Standards and all participating stores increased their food environment score over baseline. One store improved their food environment assessment score 58% over baseline.
-5 store owners noticed a decrease in the sale of unhealthy beverages and an increase in demand for products such as whole grain products, healthier snacks, and water and other healthier beverages.
-Customer intercept surveys conducted in 2014 at 3 of the pilot stores noted significant decreases in the purchasers of sweet snacks and chips, a small increase in the purchasers of whole grains, and a decrease in the percent of people who purchased sodas. Customer intercept surveys will be conducted again in 2016.