‘Summerween’ leads to shopper stress
Almost nine in ten adults (87%) say retailers sell Hallowe’en and Christmas themed foods like sweets and chocolate way too soon
Print11 October 2024
Early food promotions for Halloween and Christmas (‘Summerween’) lead to shoppers feeling annoyed, stressed, and pressured, research shows.
A new survey by Safefood has revealed that almost nine in ten adults (87%) believe promotions for Halloween and Christmas-themed foods like sweets and chocolate happen too soon.
Of those surveyed, three in four (75%) also say these kinds of promotions for unhealthy foods leaves them feeling annoyed, stressed, and pressured.
Commenting on the survey, Dr Aileen McGloin, director of nutrition, Safefood, said: “We can all already see them – stacks of Christmas sweet tins piled high in supermarkets since September. Plus, the hype of Halloween when children are only just back to school.
“We know retailers target this time of the year in order to extend sales before occasions like Halloween or Christmas – the industry even has a phrase for it, calling it ‘Summerween’.
“The real truth is that shoppers don’t want this. It’s not fair to be faced with this temptation so far in advance of special occasions and it leaves people feeling annoyed and stressed.
“If we want to build a healthier food environment for our health and that of our children, we need to stop these kinds of promotions.
“Expecting any of us to make a healthier choice is simply not possible when faced with this relentless sales push.”
A better food environment
The survey from Safefood coincides with its new campaign to build a better food environment by raising awareness of the unhealthy food environment, how it is potentially harmful to our health and why it needs to change.
Food related ill-health is now the biggest cause of preventable illness and death in the developed world, with one in five children in Ireland either living with either overweight or obesity, Safefood notes.
People today don’t have less willpower, different appetites, or different biology than previous generations – but today’s food environment encourages us to shop and eat unhealthily at nearly every turn, the data indicated.
Padraig Walsh, behavioural psychologist, added: “This survey confirms that these prominent promotions along with their associated ‘pester power’ are highly effective in attracting attention, often leaving parents feeling annoyed, stressed, and pressured.
“Many parents had only just set healthy eating goals for back-to-school. Once again, the architecture of the food environment needlessly disrupts their resolve and willpower.
“Developing new habits takes time, typically months to become established, and such environmental pressures undermine these efforts at critical stages.”
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