Research on Behavioral Economics-Based Promotion of Healthy Food Choice in a Retail Setting: Can Results Inform SNAP-Ed Practice?

Research Brief. Introduction: Emerging research suggests that behavioral economics-based strategies to promote purchase of healthy foods may be effective approaches to improving diets and health. Such strategies could be especially valuable to lower-income consumers such as the more than 44 million lower-income Americans participating in USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as of 2016. For such consumers, tight budget constraints mean they must choose carefully to select foods that are both healthy and economical.