Grocery stores are a key source of healthy foods and therefore impact public health in various ways. There are different types of grocery stores, from local convenience stores to nationwide warehouse chains. “In 2019, there were 62,932 supermarkets and other grocery stores in the U.S. employing about 2.6 million workers… The state with the most small grocers is New York, where 63.9% of the grocery stores are establishments with fewer than five employees” (Lee). Online grocery shopping and delivery services are also becoming more accessible to those who can afford them. Despite the various options, “healthy eating is the burden of the individual shopper who must learn to navigate their grocery store…in search of healthy food” (MacKendrick).

“Environmental and policy initiatives can improve conditions for large numbers of individuals… Given… that healthier foods tend to have more favorable prices in larger stores and lower-income areas may have reduced availability of healthier items, efforts to increase supermarkets accessibility may be particularly beneficial in developing food environments that support the prevention of diet-related conditions, especially among lower income populations and other high risk populations. Cost is reported to be only second to taste in determining food choice, and price reductions for lower fat foods as well as fruits and vegetables have been found to be effective in increasing healthier food purchases. However, supermarket operators are likely reluctant to locate in certain areas due to crime/security, sales projections, development costs, and insurance costs, which creates a challenge of healthy food accessibility in these areas” (Krukowski).