Pricing Strategies
for Healthy Foods & Beverages
Hannah Burton Laurison
hlaurison@phlpnet.org
CPPW Action Institute | WASHINGTON, DC
Public Health Law & Policy
We are a nonprofit corporation that improves community health
outcomes by building the capacity of public health leaders to use
sophisticated legal and policy tools in their everyday practice.
We are a multi-disciplinary team of lawyers, urban planners,
policy analysts – many also with advanced training in public
health; all committed to working with public health agencies
and their community-based partners.
Our Focus Areas
Session Overview
1. Introduction
How does price influence behavior?
2. Brainstorm
What are your goals for getting the price right?
3. Overview of local strategies
What tools are available?
MARKET FORCES + PUBLIC POLICY =
PRICE
Photo: icebox79deluxe. Flickr Creative Commons
How does price affect behavior?
38%
23%
Photo: Special KRB Flickr Creative Commons
Do the poor pay more?
Photo: Rhonda Winter
Federal Food Policy Landscape
Credit: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Nutrition Assistance Programs
State and Local
Food Policy Landscape
State and local taxes
Land Use Planning
Transportation
Economic Development
where do people shop?
RETAIL
DIRECT MARKETS
 Grocery
 Farmers’ markets/CSA
 Corner stores
 Urban Agriculture
 Restaurants
 Community Gardens
 Mobile Vendors
 Vending Machines
Brainstorm!
1. Brainstorm policy strategies that
impact price for each venue
2. Mark most promising strategies
with a star
3. Rotate to the next venue, repeat
steps 1-2
Healthy, Affordable Food in Grocery Stores
strategies for grocery
 Fresh food financing (grants/loans)
 Tax incentives
 Comprehensive planning and zoning
 Site/location assistance
 Workforce development
 Local hire policy
 Living wage policy
Healthy, Affordable Food in Corner Stores
strategies for small
markets
WIC/EBT participation
 Cooperative purchasing
 Business planning
 Infrastructure subsidies
Restaurants Offer Healthy, Affordable Food
strategies for
restaurants
 Healthy food zones (esp. near schools)
 Ban toy give-aways with unhealthy
meals
 Healthy menu certification
Healthy, Affordable Food from Mobile Vendors
strategies for mobile
vending
 Incentivize healthy vending
 Restrict unhealthy vending
 Streamline fees and permitting
Healthy, Affordable Food from Vending Machines
strategies for
vending
 Control which
products are sold
or advertised
 Control how
products are sold
Healthy, Affordable Food in Farmers’ Markets
strategies for farmers’
markets
 Comprehensive planning and zoning
 Streamline fees and permitting
 EBT, WIC, FMNP
 Vouchers/Bonuses
Healthy, Affordable Food in Urban Agriculture
strategies for urban
agriculture
 Comprehensive planning and zoning
 Support entrepreneurial ag
 Subsidize water & land
 EBT (seeds)
Resources
Fact Sheets
Model Policies
Toolkits
www.healthycornerstores.org
Hannah Burton Laurison
Public Health Law & Policy
www.phlpnet.org
hlaurison@phlpnet.org
Thank you