Food Shopping Strategies Among a Diverse Sample of East Harlem Residents: A Qualitative Study.

Purpose: To inform food retail interventions, this study explored food shopping strategies employed by people constrained by limited budgets but residing in an urban environment offering numerous retail options.

Approach: Qualitative study incorporating semi-structured interviews and shop-alongs.

Setting: East Harlem, New York City.

Participants: 37 East Harlem residents participated in interviews, of whom 15 participated in shop-alongs.

Methods: Interviews and shop-alongs were conducted in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Data from shop-alongs were used to supplement interview findings.

Results: Participants shopped 1-2 times at an average of 4 retail locations per week. Two key themes emerged: (1) planning trips and choosing venues; and (2) shopping experiences and perceptions of stores. Price was the primary driver of store choice, followed by product quality and variety. Substantial time was invested in shopping. Most English- and Spanish-speaking participants shopped in East Harlem. Chinese American participants shopped in Chinatown due to language concordance, availability of culturally-preferred foods, and proximity to other services.

Conclusion: East Harlem residents invested substantial planning, time and effort in food shopping to acquire sufficient food for their households on limited budgets. These findings offer insight into how residents interact with food environments and key drivers of decision-making about food shopping that affect decisions about where to shop and what to purchase.