Rising Food Costs Hurt More Than Hip Pocket

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 31 Mar 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Cash-strapped Australians are putting their health at risk by limiting the amount of healthy foods they buy because of confusing grocery price information, dietitians have warned.

The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) said uniform pricing information, such as cost per kilogram, was needed for a wider number of grocery foods to make it easier for shoppers to choose healthy foods.

DAA Executive Director Claire Hewat said comparing price per kilogram helped address the myth that some healthy foods were more expensive than less nutritious foods.

'While some shoppers baulk at paying around $5 per kilo for apples, they think nothing of forking out $1.80 for a 60g chocolate bar. But if you do the maths, that chocolate bar works out at $30 per kilo. Similarly, potatoes are about $2.30 per kilo, but some brands of potato crisps work out to be as much as $29 per kilo. And plain sweet biscuits might cost around $8 per kilo, while oranges are a better price at $2.70 per kilo, and are a much healthier option.

'A lack of consistent pricing information at the grocery store makes it hard for shoppers to compare 'apples with apples'. The cost per kilogram of fruit, vegetables and meat is clear, but the prices of packaged foods are often shown in different weights and volumes,' said Ms Hewat.

In its recent submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's inquiry into rising food prices, the DAA called for unit pricing information to be available at the point-of-sale. And the leading nutrition organization said a national system to monitor food availability, accessibility and cost was urgently needed.

The cost of healthy food has risen more over time than the cost of some less nutritious foods1 and people who consistently struggle to afford healthy food have lower intakes of key nutrients including protein, fibre, vitamin A and riboflavin2.

'The Australians most affected by food price rises are those already struggling to fill their trolleys with healthy foods, such as low-income families and people living in rural and remote areas, as these groups spend a higher proportion of their pay cheque on food,' said Ms Hewat.

DAA has the following tips to help shoppers on a budget:

- Buy fresh fruit and vegetables in season.
- Choose nutrient-rich foods, rather than foods with 'empty calories'.
- Buy in bulk those items with a long used-by date or that freeze well, especially when on sale.
- Buy healthy staples like breads, dairy foods, fruit, vegetables, cereals and meats first, before considering snack foods, lollies, sweetened drinks or other treats.
- Check supermarket catalogues for specials and make a list before going shopping.

Visit the Smart Eating for You section of the DAA website http://www.daa.asn.au for more ideas and tips on healthy eating.

The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) is the professional body representing dietitians nationally. Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) is the only national credential recognised by the Australian Government, Medicare, the Department of Veterans Affairs and most private health funds as the quality standard for nutrition and dietetics services in Australia.

References

1 Harrison MS et al. (2007) Medical Journal of Australia 186 (1), 9-14.
2 Kirkpatrick SI and Tarasuk V (2008) The Journal of Nutrition 138 (3), 604-12.

Dietitians Association of Australia