In the spirit of it still being January, many of us have started to reflect on our health and set ambitious goals (sometimes too ambitious 😀). Unsurprisingly, January sees a surge in health-related purchases including gym subscriptions, active wear and even healthy cookbooks . Yet, despite our best intentions, staying motivated throughout the year, sometimes even the month of January, can feel like a losing battle.
Recently, I came across an article that made me think about how much our food environment shapes our choices. Take supermarkets, for example: You’ve stuck to your healthy shopping list, resisted the lure of the candy aisle, and feel victorious—until you reach the till. Suddenly, you’re surrounded by chocolates, crisps, and other tantalising treats perfectly positioned to derail your resolve. It’s no wonder walking away with only the items on your list feels like a Herculean task.
In the UK, legislation introduced in 2022 aimed to tackle this issue by restricting the promotion of high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt foods in key supermarket areas (whether this in practice is a discussion for another day). But personal strategies can also help. Here are a few practical tips to navigate the temptations:
Shop on a full stomach
Shopping while hungry is a recipe for disaster. Research (and anecdotal evidence) suggests that empty bellies lead to fuller carts—often with less-than-healthy items you never intended to buy.
Stick to a list—with a treat included
Plan your shopping in advance and include one indulgence on your list. For me, it may be a Snickers bar one week, or maybe a tube of Pringles the next. Having a planned indulgence makes it easier to resist those unplanned temptations lurking by the till.
Consider online shopping
If the supermarket environment feels like a gauntlet of temptation, shopping online can remove that pressure. Yes, it’s not quite the same as browsing in-store, but it eliminates those sneaky impulse buys altogether.
Join a change movement
Get involved with organisations that advocate for a healthier food system, like the Food Foundation or Action on Sugar. These groups champion changes that make healthy choices easier for everyone.
Remember, you don’t need a new year to start making better decisions. Every day is a fresh opportunity to care for your health—and maybe even inspire others to do the same.
Further Reading:
Hurst, Moore and Lewis (2024) Prevalence of high fat sugar salt (HFSS) products, labelling characteristics and categories of foods sold within in-store Restricted Areas: A survey in three UK supermarkets following the 2022 implementation of The Food (Promotion and Placement) Regulations. Current Developments in Nutrition (preprint) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2024.104509.
Schmidt et al. (2019) Hungry bellies have no ears. How and why hunger inhibits sustainable consumption. Ecological Economics 160, 96-104 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.02.007
Links to organisations
Food Foundation – https://foodfoundation.org.uk/
Action on Sugar – https://www.actiononsugar.org/