Healthy eating policies
Food retail
Food retail, as a policy action, refers to government intervention to support the availability of healthy foods and to limit the availability of unhealthy foods in communities (outlet density and locations) and in-store (product placement).- Food signage, supermarket cues, in-store promotions and placement and increased availability of unhealthy foods and beverages can increase snack food selection, caloric intake of unhealthy foods and sales of sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Healthy food and beverages as a default choice (water, low-fat milk, 100% fruit juice) decreases unhealthy eating and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, especially among children. Other beverages (e.g. alcohol) have been linked to an increased risk of cancer and consumption should be in accordance with the latest research and guidance.
- Limiting availability and promotions can decrease purchase and consumption of unhealthy foods.
- Canada’s Food Guide includes recommendations that food and beverages offered in publicly funded institutions align with Canada’s Dietary Guidelines.
Provincial/territorial healthy eating policy analysis
The degree of policy adoption is LOW – other than policies regulating food sales in schools, very few provinces/territories have enacted policies regulating food retail.
Examples of policies include the following:
- Eight provinces/territories regulate the sale of food in schools to promote healthy eating, including restricting the sale of junk food in school cafeterias and vending machines – NL, NS, NB, PE, SK, MB, BC, YT, Specifically, British Columbia’s Healthier Choices in Vending Machines policy prohibits vending machine sales of unhealthy food in public buildings.
- Ontario’s Provincial Policy Statement provides guidance on land use and direction on healthy food community planning.
Municipal healthy eating policy analysis
The degree of policy adoption is MEDIUM – many local government policies reviewed have planning policies (e.g., official plans, land-use, and zoning bylaws) that provide direction about where food retail and service outlets can be located.
Many cities have bylaws that promote healthy food at farmer’s markets
Examples of policies include the following:
- Few local governments have introduced policies placing restrictions on food outlets. A variety of municipalities have implemented policies that place restrictions on locations of where drive-thru fast-food restaurants can be built including Hamilton, Toronto, Halifax, Fredericton, Vancouver, Calgary, London, Winnipeg.
- Surrey’s Business License Bylaw and Charlottetown’s Street Vendors Bylaw restrict ice cream vendors from areas near schools, parks and beaches.
- Several municipalities have bylaws that promote healthy food retail at farmer’s markets: Ottawa, Brandon, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Edmonton, Vancouver, Summerside, Whitehorse.
Opportunities for action: Food retail
Future policy direction should improve access to healthy food in a variety of settings.
Some policy options could include:
- Improving access to healthy food in retail settings or restaurants.
- Regulating unhealthy food retail in settings like recreational or healthcare facilities.
Food promotion
- Food promotion, as a policy action, refers to the promotion and advertising of unhealthy foods across all media.
- Mass media campaigns appear to have little effect on increasing fruit and vegetable consumption or decreasing salt consumption.
- There is a need for primary studies to collect and report diversified data, including impressionable populations such as youth and children.
Provincial/territorial healthy eating policy analysis
The degree of policy adoption is MEDIUM – most provinces and territories have policies governing food promotion.
Policies in BC, Quebec and PEI promote healthy eating in school and childcare settings
Examples of policies include the following:
- Nine provincial/territorial food promotion policies exist with a focus on local produce: (BC, AB, SK, NT, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS).
- Policies that promote healthy eating in school and childcare settings have been implemented in three provinces (BC, PE, QC).
- Quebec’s Consumer Protection Act prohibits all junk food advertising to children under 13 (including unhealthy foods and drinks).
- British Columbia has implemented a policy to restrict the marketing and promotion of unhealthy food in schools.
- Ontario has outlined a healthy food promotion policy in the context of eating disorders.
- The adoption of policies that restrict marketing and advertising of unhealthy foods, especially towards children, remains low.
Municipal healthy eating policy analysis
- The degree of policy adoption is LOW – few municipal policies were found to promote healthy eating through educational or marketing campaigns or implement regulations against junk food marketing.
- Fredericton’s Towards an Age-Friendly Future policy contains a healthy eating promotion policy which includes advertisement of community nutrition programs, healthy eating, and food security issues within local media.
Opportunities for action: Food promotion
Stricter policies that restrict junk food advertisement and encourage impressionable populations to eat healthy are encouraged.
Enacting region-specific food promotion policies could encourage healthy eating while considering varying demographics and needs that may not be captured within broad provincial/territorial or federal policies.
Continue to support the federal government’s commitment to restrict the commercial marketing of food and beverages to children.