What Supermarket Promotions Really Reveal About Our Health

These vibrant promotions grab attention, offer savings, and mark the rhythm of weekly grocery trips at supermarkets. They've turned into key drivers for how we spend money as consumers. Yet, lurking beneath these alluring deals lies a deeper story about our dietary choices—specifically, how they might influence our well-being.

A landslide of promotions…it’s definitely not great for your wellbeing.

A recent study A study carried out by various organizations, such as Foodwatch, reveals a concerning situation: discounts predominantly focus on items that public health officials advise reducing consumption of. This examination concentrated particularly on 4,726 deals detailed in 40 catalogues issued by France’s top five grocery chains—Carrefour, E.Leclerc, Intermarché, Lidl, and Coopérative U. The aim was to contrast these featured goods against the guidelines set forth by the national nutrition and health program known as PNNS.

The findings are straightforward: about sixty-six percent (66%) of promotion instances involve items categorized as "limited" because they contain high levels of sugar, salt, or fats. These include sweetened beverages, factory-made cookies, processed meats, and prepared dishes. Even more concerning, almost half of these promotional goods undergo extensive processing, with thirty-nine percent having a Nutri-Score rating of D or E.

On the contrary, just 12% of the items for sale meet the official standards for being classified as healthy. These typically consist of fresh produce like fruits and veggies, whole grain options, or foods that haven’t been processed much.

Marketing decisions carrying significant outcomes

This disparity did not occur by chance. retailers choose which items to showcase according to their profit margins and marketability. Consequently, shoppers are nudged towards purchasing less healthy options, undermining the importance of a well-rounded eating plan.

Promotions aren’t impartial. They affect what individuals add to their shopping baskets, and consequently, what they consume. Foodwatch cautions against this practice. According to the organizations involved in the study, such promotional tactics lead to a decline in public health standards. This issue is most pronounced amongst lower-income families, who rely heavily on discounted items for much of their grocery shopping.

A silent nutritional injustice

This inequality is all the more marked as the cheapest products are often the richest in added sugars, as already shown by a previous study carried out in January 2024. Distributor brands, which concentrate a significant share of promotions, are particularly affected. We can't expect people to have healthier diets while still providing them with affordable food options that are bad for their well-being, denounces the collective behind the study, which includes France Assos Santé, the Climate Action Network, and the French Federation of Diabetics.

A plea to alter the gameplay regulations

To counteract this trend, the organizations are advocating for significant changes in how big retail chains operate. Specifically, they suggest establishing concrete goals: ensuring that half of all items available for purchase fall under categories endorsed by the PNNS (such as unprocessed foods, lightly prepared goods, high-fiber options, or nutrient-rich choices) and making sure at least one-tenth of promotional offers feature organic alternatives that aren’t ultra-processed.

A petition has been initiated to exert pressure on retailers and inform public officials about this issue. While shoppers might save money at the register, consumer well-being is being jeopardized—especially among children, who are highly susceptible to such food advertising tactics.

Discounts are considered a blessing, particularly when prices rise. Nonetheless, this seeming act of business kindness hides an alarming approach: prioritizing items with higher profit margins, which frequently lack nutritional value. To align buying capacity with healthy eating habits, it’s crucial to revamp this framework.