To systematically review evidence from field interventions on the effectiveness of monetary subsidies in promoting healthier food purchases and consumption.
Keyword and reference searches were conducted in five electronic databases: Cochrane Library, EconLit, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Studies were included based on the following criteria: (i) intervention: field experiments; (ii) population: adolescents 12–17 years old or adults 18 years and older; (iii) design: randomized controlled trials, cohort studies or pre–post studies; (iv) subsidy: price discounts or vouchers for healthier foods; (v) outcome: food purchases or consumption; (vi) period: 1990–2012; and (vii) language: English. Twenty-four articles on twenty distinct experiments were included with study quality assessed using predefined methodological criteria.
Interventions were conducted in seven countries: the USA ( n 14), Canada ( n 1), France ( n 1), Germany ( n 1), Netherlands ( n 1), South Africa ( n 1) and the UK ( n 1). Subsidies applied to different types of foods such as fruits, vegetables and low-fat snacks sold in supermarkets, cafeterias, vending machines, farmers’ markets or restaurants.
Interventions enrolled various population subgroups such as school/university students, metropolitan transit workers and low-income women.