Healthy Options at Point of Sale

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HOPS Advocacy Team

Healthy Options at Point of Sale, HOPS, is a community-led healthy advocacy project composed of Berkeley youth and young adults. 

HOPS advocates recognize that today’s food landscape — composed predominantly of retail options and media marketing — plays a large role in determining what people purchase and eat. The rise of cheap, ready to eat products high in fat, sugar, salt, and calories contribute to health issues including cavities, heart disease, and diabetes. The advocacy team saw a real opportunity to promote healthy items where consumers shop, beginning in the checkout aisle. Supporting healthy food environments is an important component of public health. 

The HOPS Process

Education – Initially team members learned how policies, systems and the environment influence community health. The HOPS team then focused on improving health outcomes by reducing the unhealthy foods so ubiquitously sold throughout unavoidable checkout aisles.

Community Assessments  – HOPS members developed skills and carried out research They conducted 35 store assessments, 5 focus groups and 8 community interviews to better understand what products were stocked at checkout and how the community felt about the foods and beverages sold at checkout.

Community Outreach – Working together and with the broader community, the team generatedfindings that shed light on health issues in the retail environment and developed a strategy to implement long-term changes to address the retail health concerns and their impact on community health. The team distributed these findings and provided outreach throughout the Berkeley community to engage stakeholders and increase awareness.

Community Advocacy – HOPS team members and other Berkeley residents advocated for changes they wanted to see in the retail environment, including minimally processed snacks that are lower in sugar and sodium. The HOPS team gathered over 700 signatures from Berkeley residents, in support of healthy options at checkout. The team, along with Berkeley residents and Berkeley-based organizations collaborated with local agencies and policymakers to advocate for changes at checkout with the goal of increasing access to healthy foods and ultimately increasing the quality of life for the community of Berkeley.  The community advocacy work culminated in the passing of Berkeley’s Healthy Checkout Ordinance on October 13, 2020.