Changing location of fresh produce in stores can increase sales by up to 15%

Research shows that the location of fresh fruit and vegetables in a shop can affect their sales. The researchers collected data from January 2012 to July 2017 to examine sales before, during and after changes to the store’s layout. The findings indicate that once the fruit and vegetables had been moved to a location closer to the shop’s entrance, total sales of fruit and vegetables increased by around 15%, both in terms of items sold and by value of total sales. The study was conducted by the University of Warwick and published by BMC Public Health.

The researchers also found that the increase in fruit and vegetables sales following their new location may be maintained over time and may be more effective in encouraging consumption of healthy food than over advertising campaigns. The research findings have impacted decisions made by the store featured in the research. The paper: “Choice architecture modifies fruit and vegetable purchasing in a university campus grocery store: time series modelling of a natural experiment” is published by BMC Public Health.