It goes without saying that multiple factors determine health through grocery purchasing. Among them, income and lifestyle were identified – both of them impact the quality of purchased products. Thus, families with low-income prefer cheaper canned vegetables instead of fresh ones due to limited budget. In addition, people who live a healthy lifestyle or training for particular sports achievement are forced to choose more organic, thus, more expensive products.
As a matter of fact, there is a group of factors that may additionally impact purchasing behavior and the consumption of food that determine physical well-being. According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, social determinants of health include economic stability, education, health care access, environment, and community context (Healthy People 2030, n.d.). On the basis of this list, it is possible to assume that the level of education may also influence grocery purchasing. For instance, a person who has knowledge related to nutrition and is aware of the negative impact of snacks, sugar, and canned food on health, will undertake all efforts to avoid these products regardless of his socioeconomic status.
In addition, racial inequities and discrimination also impact grocery shopping. According to experts, Black Americans has limited to access to supermarkets due to its concentration in white neighborhood supported by racial segregation (Meyersohn, 2020). Moreover, healthy products are less available for them as well, however, there are other factors involved in this situation. For instance, due to structural racism, Blacks have less opportunities to receive good education and good job with good income – as a result, their financial state cannot afford the purchasing of organic products. Finally, individual habits also play a role in consumer behavior – in other words, people make their choice in favor or against healthy food on the basis of preferences that are not determined by external factors.
References
Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Social determinants of health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Meyersohn, N. (2020). How the rise of supermarkets left out black America. CNN Business.