August 26, 2025
Economic Development
DATE: August 26, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Nannette Beacham, Director of Economic Development
Samantha Carr, Environmental Manager
Yahna Williamson, Management Analyst
Subject:
Update Report on Healthy Options at Point of Sale (HOPS) from Youth Advocates.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact for receiving this item.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
April 1, 2025
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Healthy Options at Point of Sale (HOPS) Youth
Advocates have prepared an update for City Council to
summarize their community engagement, survey results,
and continued advocacy efforts following Council
direction on April 1, 2025.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: RECEIVE a written report update from Youth Advocates on Healthy Options at Point-of-Sale - Economic
Development (Yahna Williamson 510-620-
6574/Samantha Carr 510-620-5407/ Nannette Beacham
510-620-1306).
AGENDA
REPORT
August 26, 2025
DISCUSSION:
Background
On January 25, 2022, the City Council received a report from Healthy Options at Points- of-Sale (HOPS) youth advocates detailing the prevalence of unhealthy food and beverage marketing in Richmond retail stores. The report highlighted how checkout aisles are stocked with snacks high in salt, saturated fat, and added sugars, disproportionately affecting low-income and communities of color. Following this presentation, the City Council directed City staff to draft an ordinance requiring large retail stores to provide healthier checkout options within 60 days. However, due to competing priorities, this directive was not implemented at the time.
On March 4, 2025, a new cohort of HOPS youth advocates presented updated research reaffirming the need for a Healthy Checkout Ordinance in Richmond. They provided data on similar policies successfully implemented in Berkeley (2020) and Contra Costa County (2024). The City Council, recognizing the importance of this initiative, directed staff to return within 30 days with policy options addressing concerns around enforcement costs, implementation logistics, and defining key components of the policy.
On April 1, 2025, City staff returned with a draft Healthy Checkout Ordinance modeled after Contra Costa County’s proposal and sought City Council direction on four policy issues: enforcement strategy, the definition of “large businesses,” the criteria for “healthy foods,” and an outreach and education plan. City staff recommended partnering with Contra Costa County for enforcement, adopting a 2,000 sq. ft. threshold for large retailers, aligning healthy food definitions with Berkeley’s policy, and implementing a one-year outreach period prior to enforcement. The ordinance also aligns with the 2030 General Plan’s Health and Wellness Element, particularly its goals around expanding access to healthy food. In addition, it supports Richmond’s Health in All Policies (HiAP) framework and advances the City’s broader efforts to promote health equity and improve food access.
Since then, the HOPS youth advocates have continued their research and engagement efforts by surveying retail stores in Richmond over 2,000 square feet. The list of 33 Richmond retailers was divided between Bay Area Community Resources, the Richmond Food Policy Council and Richmond HOPS. Of the 33 retailers, 27 participated in the survey. The presentation provides a summary of the retailers visited, criteria used, and responses (Attachment 1).
Retailers were asked the following questions:
1. Before this survey, were you aware of the concept of Healthy Retail policies? 21 stores reported no they were unaware, 5 reported yes they were aware, and 1 store was unsure.
2. How supportive are you of a policy that would require stores to stock healthier food items at checkouts?
August 26, 2025
6 stores, including Target and Walmart, reported they strongly favored a policy that would require stores to stock healthier food items at checkout.
7 stores, including CVS, 7-Eleven, Arco AM/PM, and Dollar Tree, reported they were in favor.
6 stores reported “corporate” which means they replied with "corporate has the final say."
3. How supportive are you of a policy that would require stores to stock sweetened beverages like soda and energy drinks in one place in the store? 6 stores reported they strongly favored a policy that would require stores to stock sweetened beverages like soda and energy drinks in one place in the store.
9 stores reported they were in favor.
Note: After the Youth Advocates presented these questions to the City for feedback, they modified this survey question to incorporate feedback. Moving forward for future surveys, they have updated this survey question to read: "A RAND Corporation study in
California found that sugary drinks appear, on average, in 25 different places in a single grocery store. How supportive are you of a policy that would require stores to stock sweetened beverages like soda and energy drinks in just one place in the store?
i. Strongly opposed / Opposed / Neutral / In Favor / Strongly in Favor / Corporate
ii. Comments (optional)"
4. What concerns, if any, do you have about implementing a Healthy Retail policy?
Note: Data is the percentage of stores reporting concerns (due to some stores choosing more than one concern)
The most expressed concern was the revenue loss, with 33 percent of stores reporting it as an issue.
Specific topics related to revenue loss included shoplifting, the short lifespan of perishable goods (which again, our ordinance does not require retailers to stock perishable foods), and safety concerns due to break-ins—a fear shared by nearly every business owner, though unfortunately beyond the scope of our ordinance.
Another key concern, cited by 22 percent of stores, was the potential for enforcement consequences, such as receiving citations or fines. 7 respondents stated they had no concerns at all, which highlights a strong signal of confidence in the approach.
5. In other cities, support has been provided to retailers to assist with implementation. If Healthy Checkout moves forward, what types of support would make it easier for you to implement a Healthy Checkout policy? Of the stores surveyed, 70 percent reported a support packet as a helpful tool in implementing healthy retail.
The second at 33 percent was 1-to-1 technical assistance.
August 26, 2025
Their findings reaffirm the importance of adopting a Healthy Checkout ordinance, as the responses reflected that retailers were in favor of the ordinance overall.
Additionally, City staff had an initial meeting with Contra Costa County and received an updated list of Richmond retailers over 2,000 square feet. From this list, there were an additional five Richmond retailers not on the initial list of surveyed retailers:
99 Ranch Market
Cutting Market
Dollar Tree (12300 San Pablo Ave)
Lao Jalume Market
Spot Liquor
There are plans to survey these stores soon. There was one retailer on the Youth Advocates’ retailer list that was not listed in the County’s:
Golden 7 Quick Stop (surveyed this location)
SYNERGISTIC POLICIES:
This initiative supports the City's broader 2030 General Plan efforts in the Heath and Wellness section, as well as the Health in All Policies (HiAP) framework.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – HOPS Youth Advocates August 2025 Council Update Presentation Attachment 2 – Retailer Survey