Development of the data collection sheet

A data collection sheet was developed to assess availability, price and quality of food sold by food retail outlets in Newcastle (see Appendix 1). The data collection sheet recorded

information on the type, size, opening hours and location of the shop and the range, cost and quality of 33 commonly consumed food items.

4.4.1.1 Development of the shopping basket

The data collection sheet incorporated a „shopping basket‟ of foods commonly consumed by the Newcastle population. Several previous UK shopping basket studies were identified and reviewed14 88 92 93 98 and their methods considered in the design of our shopping basket survey.

From these surveys, a long list of potential food items was derived to include in our „basket‟.

A notional maximum of around 30 items was set to ensure the survey could be conducted cost-effectively.

Evidence was sought from local research of the most important food items to include. The Family Food and Health Study Database¹⁴¹ was examined and the foods most frequently consumed by Newcastle residents were considered for inclusion within the shopping basket.

Certain 'healthier' foods that were typically eaten by Newcastle residents had a comparable 'less healthy' alternative that was also eaten at a similar frequency (e.g. semi-skimmed milk v.

whole milk, wholemeal bread v. white bread). Other commonly consumed foods were

perceived as being 'healthier' (e.g. pasta, low fat yoghurt) or 'less healthy' (e.g. crisps, chocolate bars, biscuits).

In addition, meal structure was examined using the Family Food and Health database.¹⁴¹

„Healthier‟ and 'less healthy' households were identified according to their consumption of fat, starch and vitamin C (the latter used as a proxy measure for fruit and vegetable consumption).

The food diaries of families falling into „healthier‟ and 'less healthy' households were examined and their dietary habits and consumption patterns compared. It was apparent that a

distinguishing feature of a „healthier eating‟ household in Newcastle was not only the exclusion of 'less healthy' foods, but the inclusion of fruit and vegetables. The ten most commonly consumed fresh fruit and vegetables were identified from the database and included in our shopping basket.

The full shopping basket comprised 33 popular food items of which 10 were fresh fruits and vegetables (shown in green text in table 1), 11 'healthier' foods (of which 4 were fruit or vegetable items: pure fruit juice, baked beans, frozen peas and tinned tomatoes – also shown in green text in table 1), healthier items which are not fruit and vegetables (shown in blue text in ), 10 'less healthy' foods (shown in red text in table 1) and 2 „neutral foods‟ (cheddar cheese and eggs, shown in black text in table 1). These „neutral foods‟ were key components of the typical Newcastle diet, but could not be considered to be „healthier‟ or „less healthy‟, since this

is dependent on their overall contribution to the diet (i.e. whilst both eggs and cheese are relatively high in fat, they are also high in other important nutrients, such as protein or calcium). Within these lists there are also 6 paired equivalent „healthier‟ and „less-healthy‟

foods: semi-skimmed and whole milk, chicken and sausages, Weetabix and Frosties breakfast cereals, wholemeal and white bread, pure fruit juice and non-diet carbonated drinks, and tinned tuna and tinned meat (these pairs are highlighted with blue shading in ). These pairs were compared for price and availability.

Table 1: List of foods surveyed in retail outlets

Fresh Fruit and vegetables ‘Healthier’ foods 'Less healthy' foods ‘Neutral’ foods

Apples Chicken Sausages Cheddar cheese

Oranges Tuna (in brine) Tinned meat Eggs

Bananas Semi-skimmed milk Whole milk

Tomatoes Wholemeal bread White bread

Cucumber Weetabix cereal* Frosties cereal*

Lettuce Pure fruit juice Carbonated drink

Peppers Frozen peas Crisps

Broccoli Tinned tomatoes Biscuits

Carrots Baked beans Kit Kat

Onions Pasta White sugar

Low fat yoghurt

*Non-branded equivalents to these two branded cereals were also allowed

For fruit and vegetables, quality was assessed through direct observation by checking whether the skin was intact, discoloured or bruised. Firmness, freshness and texture were also

assessed, where possible. A binary variable was created and each fruit and vegetable was considered to be of poor quality if more than fifty per cent of the items on view were considered unacceptable. Some (fresh) food items require refrigeration (chicken, sausages, both milks and cheese) and one freezing (frozen peas). Others (10 fruit and vegetables, breads and eggs) require cool storage conditions. For the fresh food items, it was noted whether the foods were chilled or not. Sell-by-dates were initially examined, but no out-of-date foods were found in the first 50 shops, and so this indicator was abandoned.

4.4.1.2 Categorisation of shops selling food

Shops selling food were initially categorised into 13 types of store (supermarkets, mini-markets, local stores, butchers, bakeries, freezer-centres, health food stores, delicatessens, greengrocers, off licences, newsagents, petrol station shops and one „other‟ category, which included market stalls). Supermarkets were later recoded into three categories: „large multiple

supermarkets‟ (e.g. Tesco, Asda, Safeway, Sainsbury‟s, Morrison‟s, Co-op), department stores (Marks & Spencer and Fenwick) and „discount supermarkets‟ (e.g. Kwiksave, Netto, NISA, Lidl, Aldi). However, it is recognised that there is considerable variation within these groups and, in reality, there is a wide spectrum of store type, so that such a classification results in somewhat heterogeneous groups. For example, Tesco now have several different types of store format, such as superstores (Tesco Extra), city centre/suburban supermarkets (Tesco Metro) and small „convenience‟ stores linked to petrol stations (Tesco Express), although there were none of this latter group in Newcastle at the time of our survey. Likewise, Co-op had both large supermarkets and smaller „convenience‟ stores („Co-op Late Shops‟) (see below for a discussion of classification of „convenience stores‟).

Significant difficulty was encountered in classifying the smaller types of local grocery store, primarily due to the variation in size and range of produce in these outlets. Initially, these were classified as „local stores‟ and „mini-markets‟, based on their size (one checkout for „local stores‟ and two or more checkouts for „mini-markets‟). However, this did not provide a good indicator of the range of products sold and resulted in two very similar but heterogeneous groups. In addition, many specialised outlets had diversified to sell a wide range of products.

Thus, for example, many shops called „newsagent‟ or „off-licence‟ were in fact general grocery stores. Some had been renamed as such, for example: „Newsagent, off-licence and general dealers‟.

This problem was tackled by re-classifying local stores, mini-markets, newsagents, off-licences and small supermarkets according to the range of items stocked. Using our list of 33 items, stores that stocked more than one fresh or grocery food item (i.e. all items except crisps, biscuits, chocolate or drinks, including milk (see table 1)) were classified as „convenience stores‟. Those that did not stock these items were classified according to the other main business of the shop (e.g. as a „Newsagent or post office‟, „off-licence‟ etc.), usually indicated by their original classification. There are two exceptions to this rule: one is petrol station shops, which were all classified as such, irrespective of their food range. The other is a small number of local, independent „discount stores‟, selling limited ranges of items, usually in bulk.

These were identified from their shop names (e.g. food weighouse, scoop and save, cash and carry etc.).

In practice this re-classification has resulted in most mini-markets and local stores being classified as „convenience stores‟, and about half of all newsagents, Post Offices and off-licences being reclassified as „convenience stores‟. In addition, some national chains or franchised operations are categorised as „convenience stores‟ rather than supermarkets. These

include „Spar‟ shops (of which there were 9 in Newcastle, but none with more than 2

checkouts), „Co-Op Late Shops‟ (see above), Price Watch, Life-style and Londis (all national convenience store chains).