OUR IMPACT
THE SOLUTION
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​With GOOD FOOD RETAIL, independent convenience store owners—deeply invested in their customers and communities—are empowered to stock and promote healthier choices with the right tools, incentives, and support.
Real, lasting change can only happen across the whole food system. That’s exactly where GOOD FOOD RETAIL makes an impact.
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Building on their experience leading the 2008 Change for Life programme, Rice Marketing launched GOOD FOOD RETAIL in 2019. The pilot, developed with Bestway Wholesale and 13 councils, reached 228 retailers in low-income areas across London, Oxford, and Buckinghamshire. In September 2025, the network proudly launched nationwide.
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Today, GOOD FOOD RETAIL is more than a programme—it’s a national movement. By making healthier, affordable, and culturally relevant food more accessible in local stores, we’re transforming the everyday shopping experience. It’s also the first initiative to measure the impact of product, promotion, placement, and pricing to drive real demand for healthier options in the convenience sector.​​
COUNCILS: MAKING A REAL IMPACT
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Southwark Council has the largest Good Food Retail network with 73 stores, and has been a founding partner since 2019.
The average range of healthier options increased by 31% in core stores and 71% in cultural stores between 2021-2024.
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In Lambeth School Superzones, we worked with 10 convenience stores where children were the primary focus. Nine of the ten store owners observed an increase in sales of healthier lines across the project.
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In Buckinghamshire, Good Food Retail network delivered an increase of 21.2% in the number of healthier lines stocked.
Across the network, core stores are stocking 65% of the Healthier 100 Lines Framework, an increase from 52% pre-intervention.​
GOOD FOOD RETAIL
LONG TERM EVALUATION
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Click to download the interim findings from GOOD FOOD RETAIL long term evaluation study, carried out by external consultancy Bright Purpose.​
PURPOSE: To understand if GOOD FOOD RETAIL has resulted in a sustained increase in sales of healthier items over the longer term, and if so, to generate further learning on how this has been achieved
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​SAMPLE: 20 Stores​
THE NETWORK IS GROWING
“For many communities, the convenience store is the store. It is the place where you get your food.
People can only eat what is on offer. They can only utilise the facilities that are there.
So this whole project, what's critical, is shaping the environment that is out there for people to use.”
— Andy Gold, Head of Food Strategy Newham Council
WHOLESALERS: LAUNCHING THE TRIAL WITH BESTWAY
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Bestway Wholesale have been working with Rice Marketing since 2020 to develop Good Food Retail. The initial trials in Southwark highlighted the barriers for retailers in stocking healthier options and the need for better availability, placement and promotion of healthier options in wholesalers.
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Taking on this learning, the first London trade day in Bestway Croydon in 2022 saw a 1000% increase in sales of healthier lines. The project approach has now moved to business as usual. Together with Rice Marketing, Bestway have come up with a Good Food Retail policy that applies to 100 healthier products in wholesale and 200 products in retail where, supported by their suppliers, Bestway will drive the sales of this healthier options range through product and placement.​
HEALTHIER OPTIONS RANGE PERFORMANCE
The initial trial also highlighted the importance of risk as a barrier to stocking healthier options. Rice Marketing and Bestway developed a free stock drop which allowed retailers to try new healthier products for free, funded by councils, and to prove that healthier options will sell if they are available.
Since 2022, Bestway has supported Rice Marketing to deliver £16,500 free stock to retailers funded by councils.​
OUR NETWORK
GOOD FOOD RETAIL launch in the London Borough of Hounslow
FUNDERS & PARTNERS
