The effect of changes in visibility, information and price on fruit purchasing at a university cafeteria: a pilot study in Lima, Peru

Sunday, 17 August 2014: 4:00 PM
Tubughnenq 4 (Dena'ina Center)
Maria Kathia Cardenas, BS , Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
Timesh D Pillay, BS , University College London, London, United Kingdom
Catherine P Benziger, MD , University of Washington, Seattle, WA
J.Jaime Miranda, PhD , Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
INTRODUCTION: Fruit intake prevents the onset of a number of chronic diseases. The aim of our study was to determine the effect of increasing fruit visibility, adding information and lowering its price on fruit purchasing at a university cafeteria in Lima, Peru. 

METHODS: This was a pilot study using a quasi-experimental approach in a university cafeteria where approximately150 people (students and non-student adults) purchase food daily. The intervention had three phases, each one lasted three weeks (separated by two 2-week breaks). In phase 1, fruit was displayed  >3meters from the register with no additional information. Phase 2 consisted in displaying the fruit by the register in the lunch line with added health and price information. Phase 3 added a one-third price reduction to phase 2 (from $0.57 to $0.38). Twelve students participated in post-intervention interviews. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed and a Kruskal-Wallis test used to compare fruit purchasing between the phases. 

RESULTS:  Fruit purchasing increased from a total of 14 whole fruits sold in phase 1 to 33 fruits sold in phase 3 (p < 0.01) and remained significant after inclusion of the daily number of meals sold (p < 0.05).  Females were a larger percentage of fruit consumers (80% of total sold fruits) although men increased their purchasing from 0 to 11 total fruits between phase 1 and 3 (p<0.01). Non-student adults purchased more fruit with each phase (p<0.05) whereas students did not have a significant change between phases. Almost half of the students interviewed noticed the fruit price had changed and two in twelve students identified price as a barrier to purchase.

CONCLUSIONS: Promoting fruit by product placement close to the point of purchase, information and price reduction had a positive effect on fruit purchasing in a university cafeteria, especially in males and non-student adults.