RivCo City Says No More Candy, Chips In Grocery Store Checkout Aisles

PERRIS, CA — Many large grocery stores across California line their checkout aisles with rows of unhealthy products — candy, chips, mini-fridges stocked with soda — much of it at eye level for little youngsters.

One Inland Empire city has had enough of the blatant junk food marketing strategy.

Earlier this year, the Perris City Council passed an ordinance requiring healthy checkout options in local grocery store aisles. The rule applies only to grocery stores 2,500 square feet or larger, and it doesn't prohibit grocers from stocking junk food elsewhere in their stores.

The Perris ordinance was set to take effect July 1, but amendments were made to it over the summer and those were approved by City Council Aug. 29. The ordinance's new start date is Jan. 1, according to city spokesperson Stephen Hale.

Perris is the second city to approve such an ordinance. Berkeley OK'd similar language in 2020 that took effect in March 2021. In both cities, the ordinances were passed unanimously by their respective city councils.

Perris City Manager Clara Miramontes said she was excited about seeing healthier food options in checkout aisles.

"We are committed to the long-term health and wellness of residents and look forward to successful results," she said in a news release announcing the ordinance.

The initiative to get Perris on a healthier track was encouraged by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Inland Valley and the California advocacy group Public Health Advocates.

Julia Burch, assistant director of development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Inland Valley, lauded the effort.

"As a youth-serving organization, we are excited to see healthier options at checkout to help create a brighter and healthier future in Perris for our youth," she said in the city's news release.

It's not just youth who might benefit from the Perris ordinance. According to health officials at Shape Riverside County, 38.2 percent of adults in Perris were considered obese for the data period 2020 (the most recent year for which information was available). The World Health Organization defines obesity as a body mass index over 30.

Perris Mayor Michael Vargas championed the city's policy, with support from Mayor Pro Tem Marisela Nava.

"This program will help our residents maintain a healthy lifestyle by giving them alternatives to traditional snack foods," Vargas said in the news release. "Our council is committed to providing our residents with healthy snack options that benefit all generations of consumers, and we look forward to a successful campaign."

Nava added, "We are always looking for new ways to support healthy living and active lifestyles in our community and this initiative supports that continued vision."

Not everyone was initially on board with the ordinance. Inland Empire-based Stater Bros. Markets and Sacramento-based California Grocers Association turned out at a July 25 Perris City Council meeting to express concerns, which the city took to heart. For example, the summer amendments to the ordinance include leeway for packaged nuts and legumes.

In crafting the ordinance, city staff met with Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food and health watchdog. The nonprofit also helped Berkeley draft its healthy checkout ordinance.