Study Reveals Placing Fresh Produce at Supermarket Entrances Significantly Boosts Vegetable Sales and Improves Dietary Quality

Placing fresh produce at store entrances increases sales by 2,525 portions weekly and improves diet quality, according to a study by City St George's researchers.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 1, 2026, 5:02 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from City St George’s, University of London

Strategic Retail Placement as a Public Health Tool

New research published in the journal PLOS Medicine highlights a powerful link between supermarket layout and consumer nutrition. Researchers from City St George’s, University of London, and the University of Southampton discovered that the physical location of fresh produce within a store is a primary driver of purchasing behavior. By moving fruit and vegetable sections to the very front of the store, retailers can effectively "nudge" shoppers toward healthier choices before they encounter processed or high-calorie alternatives deeper in the aisles.

Quantifying the Impact on Weekly Sales

The study, which spanned 36 stores of a discount supermarket chain in England, revealed a substantial increase in produce movement. On average, stores that moved their fresh sections to the entrance sold approximately 2,525 extra portions of fruit and vegetables every week compared to control stores. This surge in healthy purchasing is particularly notable given the broader economic context of the study, which took place during the COVID-19 pandemic and a significant cost-of-living crisis that otherwise saw a national decline in fresh food intake.

Focus on Maternal and Family Nutrition

The trial specifically monitored the shopping habits of 580 women aged 18 to 60, a demographic often responsible for the majority of household food decisions. The data showed that women exposed to the entrance-level produce sections for six months saw a measurable improvement in their overall diet quality. Researchers noted that the benefits were most pronounced among families who shopped exclusively at the intervention stores and among women with fewer formal educational qualifications, suggesting the layout change helps bridge nutritional inequality gaps.