Model Healthy Checkout Aisle Ordinance

Many Americans want to purchase and eat healthier foods, but the proliferation of unhealthy foods at all types of retail stores can make it difficult for people to make healthy choices. One major problem is the unhealthy foods and beverages available to consumers while they wait in line to purchase items in stores.

One solution to this problem is to remove prompts that induce customers to buy things, particularly unhealthy items, while they wait in the checkout line. By replacing unhealthy foods with healthier options and other non-food alternatives, communities can help people make healthier choices.

ChangeLab Solutions developed this model ordinance to require all retail stores to provide healthy checkout aisles for consumers. It offers communities two options for determining what foods may be sold in checkout aisles: One option is to provide a specific list of foods that may be available in checkout lanes; the other provides nutrition-based criteria for determining what foods and beverages may be available. This versatile resource provides both model policy language and relevant findings. It can be tailored for use by city, county, or state governments or by corporations.