Characterizing the Consumer Food Environment of Dollar Stores and Exploring Differences by Neighborhood Racial Composition

Abstract

Objective: To characterize the overall availability, price, and promotional placement of food and beverage products at dollar stores and explore differences in the food environment by neighborhood racial composition in Atlanta, Georgia.

Methods: A cross-sectional assessment of the food environment was conducted at 25 dollar stores. Measures included availability, affordability, and promotion of fresh produce, salty snacks, sweet snacks, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and water. Store neighborhoods were categorized as majority-Black (MB) or non-majority-Black (NMB) neighborhoods using American Community Survey data. Kruskal Wallis and chi-square tests (test of independence) were used to test for differences across neighborhood racial composition.

Results: Only 2 stores sold fresh produce, whereas all offered and most promoted sweet snacks, salty snacks, and SSBs. Compared with NMB neighborhoods, prices for SSBs and salty snacks were significantly lower in MB neighborhoods (P < 0.05).

Conclusions and implications: The dollar store food environment lacks fresh produce and comprises largely unhealthy food options. Findings suggest dollar stores in MB neighborhoods may provide lower prices for unhealthy food and beverages.

Keywords: dollar store; food availability; food environment; food marketing; food prices; food retail.