IN a bid to promote healthier lifestyles among residents, SHAPE Asia, in partnership with the Quezon City Health Department, conducted a workshop to foster healthier food environments in communities.
Representatives from various market vendors’ associations, supermarkets, grocery retailers, convenience stores, and other food retail stakeholders participated in the “Shaping Food Retail: The Healthy Food Store Workshop,” held at the QC M.I.C.E. Center.
The workshop engaged participants in discussions on approaches that support healthier retail environments, including strategies for product visibility, consumer information, and retail practices that encourage healthier purchasing behaviors.
It also served as a capacity-building and stakeholder consultation activity, cultivating active dialogue between policymakers, retailers, and community stakeholders on the proposed Healthy Food Retail Ordinance.
The proposed Healthy Food Retail Ordinance will promote healthier food environments by improving access to healthier food options in retail settings and supporting informed food choices among QCitizens. It will complement and further strengthen the city’s Calorie Labeling Policy, which started its Phase 1 implementation last year.
“The health and welfare of every QCitizen have always been a priority of the city government. This partnership with SHAPE Asia will further strengthen our initiatives by engaging retailers in advancing our shared goals. It proves that a whole-of-city approach becomes more effective when residents and community stakeholders are actively involved,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
The workshop is part of SHAPE Asia’s broader regional efforts to strengthen healthier food environments through policy engagement, stakeholder collaboration, and implementation-focused action across Asia. Through its work with governments, civil society organizations, and communities, SHAPE Asia supports evidence-informed approaches that make healthier food choices more accessible and practical in everyday settings.
SHAPE Asia, further explained that the activity represents an important step toward building a locally grounded, inclusive, and implementable approach to healthy food retail policy.
By bringing together government leaders, retailers, and community stakeholders, SHAPE Asia and QCHD aim to strengthen collaboration and advance practical solutions that contribute to healthier, more equitable, and more supportive food environments for all Quezon City residents.
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