A University of Adelaide study, conducted in collaboration with Foodbank SA and NT, has shown that strategies commonly used by supermarkets to influence shopper behaviour can be adapted for food relief pantries.
Maintaining a nutritious diet is a challenge for those accessing food relief and often compounds other health concerns. According to study author Shaeny Chandra, a PhD candidate from the University of Adelaide’s School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, one in three households in Australia experiences some level of food insecurity, and of those, 33 per cent report moderate to severe food insecurity.
“The 2025 Foodbank Hunger Report suggests that up to 25 per cent of food-insecure households are accessing food relief,” she said. “Poor diet is a contributor to the Australian burden of obesity and other non-communicable diseases. Improving nutritional outcomes in food relief settings could have far-reaching health benefits.”
The eight-month study found that promotional cues, strategic product placement of fresh and nutritious foods, and a pricing intervention applied to certain items helped people experiencing food insecurity select more nutritious options.
While the pricing intervention strengthened the effects, promotional cues and product placement alone led to meaningful shifts in food choices among Foodbank clients in South Australia.
“All edible items were categorised as either ‘red’, ‘amber’, ‘green’ and ‘greener green’ based on nutritional value. This informed a shelf-stacking system that prioritised healthier options by placing them on more prominent and accessible shelves,” said Chandra.
“This led to an increase in turnover of ‘greener green’ foods – primarily fresh fruit and vegetables – while turnover of red category discretionary snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages declined.”
The study showed that when clients are presented with healthy, nutritious options and clear promotional messaging, they are more likely to make healthier choices. The categorised shelving system also improved stock presentation and inventory management.
“We identified that, prior to our intervention, whenever a space opened up on a shelf, it would be filled with any available stock rather than following the retail practice of restocking based on turnover,” added Chandra.
“With the new product placement strategy, Food Hubs now offer more consistency by maintaining a product layout and ordering replacement stock according to what has moved from the shelf, with healthier options given priority placement.”
The University has worked with Foodbank SA & NT for almost a decade, creating practical resources designed by researchers and students from the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, many of which continue to support families today. Following the completion of Chandra’s study, the intervention has been implemented in four Foodbank locations across South Australia and the Northern Territory.
“What’s really important about the promotion, placement and pricing strategy is that it does not remove agency from people – they are still able to make food choices based on what is best for them or their families,” said Foodbank CEO Greg Pattinson.