Rapid systematic literature review: Impact of in-premise marketing on consumer purchasing and consumption

Abstract

This review was commissioned by the Scottish Government, as part of a programme of work, to examine evidence to inform these proposals. It aims to provide an initial review of evidence on the impact of in-premise marketing of high fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) food and drink on consumer behaviour, both in the retail and the out-of-home food sectors. The review was conducted by researchers from NHS Health Scotland, the University of Stirling and the University of Edinburgh. It draws on evidence from 20 articles (systematic reviews and individual studies) published between 2012 and 2018, which were identified as relevant to the research questions. This review focuses exclusively on elements of marketing that do not involve a reduction in price, namely positioning, packaging and value-adding promotions. A previous report focused on price promotions (i.e. temporary price reductions and multi-buys). Where evidence is available, the review also discusses the differential impact of in-premise marketing on particular population groups. The evidence suggests that, overall, in-premise marketing of HFSS food has an impact on increasing consumer purchasing behaviour, and seems especially influential for children and young people. However, the findings from this review should be interpreted in light of its limitations. In particular, the breadth of marketing activity included in this review was large and in some areas there were only a small number of studies found exploring the relevant activity.