Good Food Local

Rice Marketing are a proud partner of the Good Food Local, developing the Good Food Retail programme as a roadmap for Local Councils.Since 2019 we have been working with London Councils, Wholesalers and Convenience Store Retailers to make healthier options more accessible, affordable and culturally appropriate for their local communities.

Read more about how we developed the approach and the impact it had.

LAUNCHED April 2026

Good Food Local: The London Report 2026

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

See how we are working through GOOD FOOD RETAIL to contribute towards a Good Food Local economy on page 34 Good Food Local: London 2026

"Good Food Retail has been successfully implemented in over 11 London authorities, proving that enhancing accessibility to healthier food benefits both communities and businesses alike.'

"In September 2025 we officially launched GOOD FOOD RETAIL nationwide. Partnering with Bestway Wholesale and Costcutter to extend the network into independent retailers as well as continuing to work and grow outside of London with the support of councils in Oxfordshire, Buckingham and Kent."

— Stephanie Rice,
Director, Rice Marketing

THE IMPACT

Rice Marketing continue their work with Councils, Wholesalers, Suppliers and Convenience Store Retailers to build the GOOD FOOD RETAIL network, a movement for change that benefits ALL

Convenience is a key determinant of the food we eat. For families living on lower incomes, the only available options are often local convenience stores, which have significantly fewer healthy, affordable options than supermarkets, stocking confectionery, alcohol and fizzy drinks.

Impact on Urban Health and Rice Marketing have developed a long-term multi-disciplinary, London-wide approach to address the challenges with convenience food. The programme supports councils to recognise local convenience stores that play an important role in their communities (often in areas identified as strategically important to the local health agenda e.g. in School Superzones, food deserts), helping them to improve access and affordability of healthier options against an agreed set of criteria, the Healthier 100 Framework. Stores are supported with free stock of healthier options to show that healthier options can sell.

LAUNCHED 3 September 2025, GOOD FOOD RETAIL network "puts health at the heart of convenience".

GOOD FOOD RETAIL brings together key players from across the food system to make healthier choices, especially in low-income areas.

Councils: Building GOOD FOOD RETAIL networks in underserved areas, supporting local shops with resources, advice, and stock.
Wholesalers & Suppliers: Driving sales of healthier items through product placement and promotion. Ensuring healthier products are accessible, affordable and offer attractive margins to retailers.
Retailers: Improving healthier food options on their shelves and promoting it within their communities.
Policy Makers & Academics: Supporting Councils to support the uptake of GOOD FOOD RETAIL. Sharing evidence that supports the availability of healthier options in convenience stores.

Together, we’re transforming the food environment—one shelf at a time.

GET INVOLVED at www.goodfoodretailnetwork.co.uk

HEALTHIER SALES HAVE SUSTAINED

Of the 20 stores included in the 2 year evaluation study carried out by Bright Horizons;

- All 20 stores are still stocking healthier ranges

- 13 stores have extended their healthier product lines

- 13 stores are displaying signage to their healthier options

- 12 stores have healthier options displayed at their till.

developing the right approach

DEVELOPMENT OF GOOD FOOD RETAIL

New in-store point of sale materials to clearly indicate healthier options to the customer

Supporting specialist stores serving African and Afro-Caribbean communities

Working with schools to understand children’s purchasing behaviour in convenience stores and advise retailers how to promote healthier options

Widen impact of Good Food Retail to other council teams including environmental health, local economy, and community engagement to build a sustainable network

Support local emergency food systems and markets to increase access to healthier foods

making an impact

PROVIDING INSIGHT & EVIDENCE

The Good Food Retail network now extends to 236 shops across 11 local London authorities and 3 outside of London – Kent, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Stores in Hounslow increased their ranges of healthier options by nearly a third (over 29%). Local residents gave feedback that they had noticed improvements to the shops. Retailers saw the commercial value and committed to expanding their healthier product ranges. The launch event was attended by Hounslow Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Transformation Cllr Lily Bath, and the project was communicated to residents.

In Newham, a council officer has been trained in the Good Food Retail process, so that the Public Health team can look to sustain their network independently, supported by a toolkit.

Bestway – the UK’s largest independent cash-and-carry wholesaler, which serves the neighbourhood food retail market – continues to embed Good Food Retail in their business and have plans to double the range by April 2026.

Bestway launched a ‘trade week’ in 7 London depots at the end of January 2026, which promoted 8 pages of healthier options at discounts of 20% to retailers. Bestway plan to extend trade weeks to 24 depots in April 2026.

QUALIFIED COMMERCIAL VIABILITY

A programme in Southwark, involving Bestway Wholesale and 45 convenience stores, increased healthier product availability by 22%, with strong sales exceeding expectations.

Retailers saw the commercial value and committed to expanding their healthier product ranges. Wholesaler Bestway saw an 18% increase in sales of healthier products.

EVIDENCE BASED DECISION MAKING

The programme is under long-term evaluation with evidence of impact being regularly shared with Councils

INCREASE IN SALES OF HEALTHIER OPTIONS

In Lambeth School Superzones, we worked with 10 convenience stores where children were the primary focus.

All 10 shops increased the number of healthier lines they stocked and nine of the ten store owners reported that sales of healthier alternatives increased, and for the remaining store they stayed the same.