An Equity-Oriented Systematic Review of Online Grocery Shopping Among Low-Income Populations: Implications for Policy and Research
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Report Publish Date: January 24, 2022
This journal article describes a review of the literature on online grocery shopping among low-income, diverse populations.
Primary Takeaways
Previous studies have found that cost and limited availability of grocery services in food deserts and rural areas may keep some people from being able to buy healthy food online. At the same time, online grocery services have expanded in recent years, and more people are able to use nutrition assistance benefits online.
Believing that they have less control over the food they choose when they use an online grocery service prevents some people from buying groceries online. Others believe buying groceries online is more convenient and less stressful than buying them in person.
Studies had mixed findings about whether grocery shoppers made healthier food choices online or in stores.
Overview and Objectives
Interventions meant to make it easier for people to find healthy foods have focused on supporting local food vendors and corners stores and bringing food to people. Online grocery shopping could help boost equitable access to food, but only if low-income people don’t face barriers like lack of access to technology and the internet, distrust of buying groceries online, and difficulty using nutrition assistance benefits for online grocery shopping.
The authors of this literature review wanted to know what past studies had found about online grocery shopping among people with low incomes.
Hypothesis or Approach
The authors searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Business Source Ultimate. They assessed the articles using JBI’s critical appraisal tools and synthesized the evidence using the theory of planned behavior and the health equity framework. In the end, they included 16 moderate- to high-quality studies in their review.
How This Influences Change
“Future research should examine the effects of online grocery shopping on purchasing and diet using validated, empirical measures, including itemized grocery receipts and food frequency questionnaires or multiple 24-hour dietary recalls,” the authors write.
Research: Go Deeper
Context: Online grocery services are an emerging component of the food system with the potential to address disparities in access to healthy food.
Objective: We assessed the barriers and facilitators of equitable access to healthy foods in the online grocery environment, and the psychosocial, purchasing, and dietary behaviors related to its use among low-income, diverse populations.
Data Sources: Four electronic databases were searched to identify relevant literature; 16 studies were identified.
Results: Barriers to equitable access to healthy food included cost and limited availability of online grocery services in food deserts and rural areas. The expansion of online grocery services and the ability to use nutrition assistance benefits online were equity-promoting factors. Perceived low control over food selection was a psychosocial factor that discouraged online grocery use, whereas convenience and lower perceived stress were facilitators. Findings were mixed regarding healthfulness of foods purchased online. Although few studies assessed diet, healthy food consumption was associated with online grocery use.
Conclusion: Researchers should assess the impact of online grocery shopping on low-income families’ food purchases and diet.
Nutrition Reviews, May 2022, https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuab122
Figure 2 Equity-oriented framework to promote healthy food purchasing and diet in online grocery environments targeted at underserved populations. Abbreviations: SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; WIC, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Page 1305
Research Team
This study and report was conducted and created by the following people:
- Trude ACB
- Lowery CM
- Ali SH
- Vedovato GM
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