Main Retailers In Which Mexican Households Acquire Their Food Supply

Objective: To describe the frequency of food and beverages purchased made by Mexican households at different types of grocery retailers. Design: A national cross-sectional survey. Setting: Mexico. Participants: A representative sample of Mexican households (n = 70,311). Main Outcome Measure(s): Household food and beverages purchases. Analysis: The association between amounts of food and beverages supply bought in different food retailers (as outcome) and households’ sociodemographic characteristics (as covariates) was assessed using logistic and linear regression models. Results: Mexican households acquired their food and beverages primarily from abarrotes stores, followed by supermarkets and mercados and tianguis. Abarrotes stores and supermarkets were sources of unprocessed and processed foods. Specialized stores, mercados, and tianguis were primary sources of unprocessed foods. Households with low socioeconomic status and those in the central or southern regions acquired more foods from abarrotes stores, mercados and tianguis, and specialized stores. Households with high socioeconomic status and living in the northern region acquired more foods from supermarkets and convenience stores. Conclusions and Implications: Abarrotes stores are the primary source of food and beverages for Mexican households; however, some interventions are needed to increase their supply of unprocessed foods. Public health interventions aiming at increasing access to unprocessed foods could be done through traditional retailers.