Conceptual framework: healthy retail food environment

The retail food environment plays an important role in guiding consumer purchasing decisions. Retailers leverage product, placement, pricing, and promotion as key marketing strategies to influence consumer behavior both in-store and online. These strategies are disproportionately used to market energy-dense foods that are low in nutrients and contribute to low dietary quality. View the attached resource to learn more.

EpicGenetics: Laboratory-Developed Tests

In October 2023, CSPI’s Litigation Department and its co-counsel filed a lawsuit on behalf of CSPI against EpicGenetics alleging that its claims about its laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) for fibromyalgia and a condition the company calls “Immune Deficiency Disease” are false and misleading.

Smart Snacks: Graded

This report assesses the nutritional quality of the snacks, entrées, and beverages sold to K-12 students through school vending machines and cafeteria a la carte lines. The key findings? Many snacks are too high in added sugars; harmful sweeteners and dyes are too common in products sold to schoolchildren; and high schoolers can still purchase sugar-sweetened beverages on campus. To protect kids’ health, the USDA must update Smart Snacks standards to align with the science and expert recommendations.

'Poisoned' Event Videos

Healthy checkout: product guide for retailers

Based on the Center for Science in the Public Interest's model healthy checkout ordinance, this resource provides retailers guidance on implementing a healthy checkout policy.

Healthy checkout FAQs

Healthy checkout refers to efforts to improve the nutrition in the food and beverage products sold in areas where shoppers stand in line to purchase their groceries. All customers must pass through and spend time in the checkout area, making it a prime location for marketing. Healthy checkout is a strategy that changes the foods and beverages offered in the checkout aisle to make it easier for customers and their children to avoid both marketing and impulse purchases of sugary drinks and snacks high in sugar and salt. Click "View Resource" for answers to frequently asked questions.

CSPI urges USDA: Update 'Smart Snacks' nutrition standards

'Smart Snacks' in schools should meet federal Dietary Guidelines

An assessment of Smart Snacks competitive foods—more than 600 foods and beverages available to K–12 students—reveals misaligned nutrition standards for children.

Food and health news you may have missed: Oct. 13, 2023

California’s new food safety laws, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and more food, health, and nutrition news you may have missed.

Model Ordinances: Dollar Stores

This document presents a menu of legislative options that localities can use to address the role of dollar stores in their communities. Each policy option is described in its respective section below. These options are not mutually exclusive and can be combined. Further, any of these policies can be combined with policies restricting dollar stores to only certain local zoning areas.