UC Delivers

1% Milk Promotion Increases Sales 43.8%

The Issue

Milk is an important food for children and adults, providing calcium, Vitamin D and protein as well as helping to prevent osteoporosis. Compared to whole milk, low fat (1%) milk provides all these benefits and also significantly reduces the amount of saturated fat in the diet (8 grams of fat in a cup of whole milk, 2.5 grams in a cup of 1% milk). In children and adults alike, reducing fat in the diet can help prevent overweight and obesity, heart disease, cancer, stroke and type 2 diabetes. This is particularly true in Hispanic population groups, since data indicate Hispanics consume more high-fat milk than non-Hispanics.

What Has ANR Done?

A recent (2002 and ongoing) community-based social marketing campaign targeting low income Hispanic women with a "1% Milk ...Healthy & Delicious" message was developed by UCCE and other members of the Central Valley LEAN Coalition. Implementation of the campaign involved an array of community partnerships:
--Schools in the targeted zip codes allowed parent education classes with taste tests, a Loteria Bingo game, posters and brochure distribution to all parents.
--Posters and brochures were distributed at local health clinics and doctors' offices.
--WIC, the Fresno County Health Department and Head Start distributed brochures and posters and strengthened their own 1% milk message.
--Local supermarkets displayed posters and shelf-talkers and sponsored taste tests.
--30- and 60-second Spanish and English TV and radio commercials were developed and run on local stations, and both English and Spanish local newspapers printed articles supporting 1% milk.

All of these activities saturated the environment and reinforced the 1% milk message.

The Payoff

UCCE works to prevent obesity and associated chronic diseases

Pre- and post-campaign milk sales data collected from local supermarkets in the targeted zipcodes demonstrated a 43.8% increase in 1% milk sales during the first four-month campaign. Pre- and post-campaign exit surveys done at the supermarkets with Hispanic women confirmed that behavior had changed...barriers of knowledge about the nutritional advantage of 1% milk had been overcome by the information provided in classes and in the brochures; barriers of taste had been overcome by taste tests allowing people to discover that they liked 1% milk; barriers of habit had been overcome by point-of-sale reminders to purchase 1% milk. Over a life-time, this single behavior change will have a significant impact on the health and well-being of children and adults in California.

Contact

Supporting Unit: Fresno County

Patty Minami, Program Manager
1720 S. Maple Ave.
Fresno CA 93702
559-456-7142