The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

We looked at what supermarkets in 97 countries are doing to our waistlines. Here’s what we found

  • Written by Tailane Scapin, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Deakin University

In many countries, buying food at supermarkets, convenience stores and online has become the norm. But what’s the convenience of modern food shopping doing to our health?

Our study, published today[1] with colleagues from UNICEF, looked at how people in 97 countries shopped for groceries over 15 years.

Globally, we found a huge increase in the number of supermarkets and convenience stores (which we’ll shorten to chain grocery stores in this article). We also found people are spending more money in these stores and on their online platforms.

But this has come at a cost to our health. People in countries with the most chain grocery stores per person buy more unhealthy food and are more likely to be obese.

Here’s why we’re so concerned about this public health disaster.

The rise of chain grocery stores

Our study analysed food industry data from a business database to understand how the food retail sector has changed worldwide over time. We looked at the kinds of stores, how much people spend there, and how much unhealthy processed food is sold. We linked these trends with changes in obesity rates using data from a large global initiative[2].

We found the density of chain grocery stores (number of stores per 10,000 people) has increased globally by 23.6% over 15 years (from 2009 to 2023).

We found far more of these stores per person in high-income countries, as you may expect. However, it’s in low- and middle-income countries where numbers are increasing the fastest.

Rapid urbanisation, rising incomes and customer demand mean large retail companies see these countries as new potential markets.

For example, the density of chain grocery stores increased by about 21% a year in Myanmar, about 18% a year in Vietnam and about 12% a year in Cambodia.

Women in supermarket in Vietnam
In Vietnam, the number of chain grocery stores increased by about 18% a year. Nature-Andy/Shutterstock[3]

We’re shopping online too

The data in our study also covers the rise of online food shopping. For instance, the worldwide spend on online grocery shopping was 325% more in 2023 compared with 2014.

Out of the 27 countries we looked at for online food shopping, people in the United Arab Emirates and the United States were the top spenders. In 2023, the average person in the United Arab Emirates spent about US$617 that year, 570% more than in 2014. In the US, the average person spent US$387 in 2023. That’s about 125% more than in 2014.

It seems many of us took to online shopping during the early days of the COVID pandemic[4], a habit that appears to have stuck.

More chain stores, more junk food, more obesity

The rise of chain grocery stores, including their online platforms, is also changing what we eat.

Over the 15 years of our study, there has been a 10.9% increase in the sales of unhealthy processed food from those chain grocery stores.

In South Asia, the increase has been particularly rapid. People in Pakistan have been buying 5% more unhealthy processed foods from chain grocery stores every year for the past 15 years. In India, it’s 4% more and in Bangladesh 3% more.

Over 15 years, our study also showed the percentage of people with obesity across all countries rose from 18.2% to 23.7%. It was the countries with the biggest increases in chain grocery stores where we saw the sharpest increases in obesity.

Laos is a good example. The number of chain grocery stores per person in the country has been increasing by 15% each year since 2009, while the percentage of people with obesity has doubled from 2009 to 2023.

In almost all countries, obesity is on the rise. In Australia, overweight and obesity have recently officially overtaken tobacco as the biggest burden[5] on our health.

Indonesian woman picking Korean packaged instant noodles from supermarket shelf
Over 15 years, there has been a 10.9% increase in the sales of unhealthy processed food globally. Pratiwi Ambarwati/Shutterstock[6]

Why do we think supermarkets are to blame?

Supermarkets and hypermarkets sell healthy foods, such as fruit and vegetables. Yet, there are good reasons to think our retail environment might be to blame for the rise in obesity.

Highly processed foods

Chain grocery stores typically sell an enormous array of highly processed packaged foods[7] high in sugar, fat and salt that can harm our health. One study of the food and drinks available in supermarkets from 12 countries showed the majority are classified as unhealthy[8]. Given our findings of rapid increases in chain grocery in low- and middle-income countries, it was alarming in this study that the least healthy products were typically seen in supermarkets from countries like India, China and Chile.

Heavy promotion

Chain grocery stores often aggressively promote[9] unhealthy foods. This includes through price discounting; advertising in circulars, on TV and social media; and by being placed in prominent displays at checkouts and the ends of aisles. Studies have shown this to be true in Belgium[10], Ireland[11] and another 12 countries[12].

Online, we see unhealthy foods promoted more often[13] (with discounts and displayed more prominently) than healthy options. For instance, on average at least one-third[14] of products prominently displayed on Australian supermarket websites are unhealthy.

More buying power

Compared to small independent grocers, large chain grocery stores globally have a far larger influence[15] on decisions around product assortment and price. Because of this, they can control supply chains, often in partnership with[16] national and multi-national food manufacturers of ultra processed, unhealthy packaged foods.

What can we do about it?

There are many social, political, cultural and economic factors that contribute to the rise in obesity globally. Many of these relate to the price, availability and promotion of food in retail settings and the way the retail industry is structured[17].

Because of this, we think it’s time for governments and retailers to step up and start making changes to where and how we shop for food.

Some countries are already beginning to act. In the United Kingdom for example, government legislation now prevents[18] placing unhealthy foods in prominent places such as the checkout counter and at the ends of aisles close to checkouts. From October this year, further restrictions on the price promotion of unhealthy foods (such as “buy one, get one free”) will also come into force in the UK.

There is also plenty that retailers can do. In Norway, for example, one major grocery chain launched a comprehensive healthy eating campaign[19] several years ago, including by increasing the size and prominence of healthy food displays and offering discounts on fruits and vegetables. This led to a 42% increase in vegetable sales and a 25% rise in fruit sales from 2012 until 2020.

But most grocery chains are still not doing enough to prioritise their customers’ health and nutrition[20]. In the US, we see this in particular for supermarkets catering to people on low-incomes[21]. And in the UK, although there has been some promising progress by some supermarket retailers, all those assessed have considerable scope for improvement[22].

Now more than ever, it is time to create healthier retail food environments that support nutritious diets and help reverse the rising rates of obesity.

References

  1. ^ published today (www.nature.com)
  2. ^ large global initiative (www.ncdrisc.org)
  3. ^ Nature-Andy/Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
  4. ^ early days of the COVID pandemic (www.sciencedirect.com)
  5. ^ biggest burden (www.aihw.gov.au)
  6. ^ Pratiwi Ambarwati/Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
  7. ^ highly processed packaged foods (www.georgeinstitute.org.au)
  8. ^ classified as unhealthy (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  9. ^ aggressively promote (foodenvironmentdashboard.com.au)
  10. ^ Belgium (archpublichealth.biomedcentral.com)
  11. ^ Ireland (bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com)
  12. ^ another 12 countries (www.sciencedirect.com)
  13. ^ promoted more often (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
  14. ^ at least one-third (bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com)
  15. ^ larger influence (globalizationandhealth.biomedcentral.com)
  16. ^ in partnership with (www.theguardian.com)
  17. ^ retail industry is structured (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
  18. ^ now prevents (www.gov.uk)
  19. ^ comprehensive healthy eating campaign (www.sciencedirect.com)
  20. ^ their customers’ health and nutrition (iht.deakin.edu.au)
  21. ^ people on low-incomes (bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com)
  22. ^ considerable scope for improvement (accesstonutrition.org)

Read more https://theconversation.com/we-looked-at-what-supermarkets-in-97-countries-are-doing-to-our-waistlines-heres-what-we-found-246412

Times Magazine

Why Social Media Marketing Matters for Businesses in Australia

Today social media is a big part of daily life. All over Australia people use Facebook, Instagram, TikTok , LinkedIn and Twitter to stay connected, share updates and find new ideas. For businesses this means a great chance to reach new customers and...

Building an AI-First Culture in Your Company

AI isn't just something to think about anymore - it's becoming part of how we live and work, whether we like it or not. At the office, it definitely helps us move faster. But here's the thing: just using tools like ChatGPT or plugging AI into your wo...

Data Management Isn't Just About Tech—Here’s Why It’s a Human Problem Too

Photo by Kevin Kuby Manuel O. Diaz Jr.We live in a world drowning in data. Every click, swipe, medical scan, and financial transaction generates information, so much that managing it all has become one of the biggest challenges of our digital age. Bu...

Headless CMS in Digital Twins and 3D Product Experiences

Image by freepik As the metaverse becomes more advanced and accessible, it's clear that multiple sectors will use digital twins and 3D product experiences to visualize, connect, and streamline efforts better. A digital twin is a virtual replica of ...

The Decline of Hyper-Casual: How Mid-Core Mobile Games Took Over in 2025

In recent years, the mobile gaming landscape has undergone a significant transformation, with mid-core mobile games emerging as the dominant force in app stores by 2025. This shift is underpinned by changing user habits and evolving monetization tr...

Understanding ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 Project Management Synergy

Key Highlights ITIL 4 focuses on IT service management, emphasising continual improvement and value creation through modern digital transformation approaches. PRINCE2 project management supports systematic planning and execution of projects wit...

The Times Features

Jetstar announces first ever Brisbane to Rarotonga flights with launch fares from just $249^ one-way

Jetstar will start operating direct flights between Brisbane and Rarotonga, the stunning capital island of the Cook Islands, in May 2026, with launch sale fares available today...

Introducing the SE 2 and Mini hair dryers from Laifen

The Mane Attractions for Professional Styling at Home Without the Price Tag Fast, flawless hair is now possible with the launch of Laifen’s two professional quality hair dryers th...

Home Gym Recovery Routines: What Pro Athletes Do After Workouts

Training is only half the equation. What you do after your workout has just as much impact on your progress, performance, and long-term health. Professional athletes know this, w...

Flipping vs. Holding: Which Investment Strategy Is Right for You?

Are you wondering whether flipping a property or holding onto it is the better investment strategy? The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. Both strategies have distinct advantages a...

Why Everyone's Talking About Sea Moss - And Should You Try It Too?

Sea moss - a humble marine plant that’s been used for centuries - is making a major comeback in modern wellness circles. And it’s not just a trend. With growing interest from athle...

A Guide to Smarter Real Estate Accounting: What You Might Be Overlooking

Real estate accounting can be a complex terrain, even for experienced investors and property managers. From tracking rental income to managing property expenses, the financial in...