Overview: Exploring ways to encourage healthier food purchases by low-income consumers-Lessons from behavioral economics and marketing

摘要

This overview paper provides a background for a series of papers on exploring ways to encourage healthier food purchases among low income consumers. The papers presented in this special issue make the case that behavioral economics is a promising approach to promotion of healthy food choices. They provide some examples of successful application of behavioral economics-based "nudges" at the time and place of food selection, whether in retail grocers or food banks. Future research may build on these examples to develop a broader array of strategies that could be used to improve food selection and, ultimately, diet and health of consumers.