Minneapolis considers changes to 'staple foods' ordinance

A Minneapolis City Council committee will consider changes to the city's "staple foods" ordinance on Monday.

The 2014 ordinance requires licensed grocery stores to carry a specified amount of healthy foods like vegetables and whole grains. It was aimed at getting healthy foods into places like corner stores and gas stations.

But city staff working with store owners found that some were having trouble keeping up with the requirements of the ordinance as it's written, said Kristen Klingler, senior public health specialist at the Minneapolis Department of Health.

"We've mostly focused on talking with small, ethnic grocery store owners," Klingler said. "From those conversations we've learned that in many cases the ordinance is fine and working well and the requirements are reasonable, but there are some areas where we can better align the requirements with the cultural dietary preferences of the stores' customers."

Some stores have been slow to adjust to the requirements. The number of stores complying with all 10 staple foods requirements fell from 51 percent in 2015 to 38 percent this year, according to data from the department. The number of groceries complying with between six and nine of the requirements increased by 22 percent during that same time period. No stores have been fined for not complying.

The proposed change to the ordinance would simplify the categories of staple foods, for instance, combining the whole grain cereal category with the whole grain category. The proposal would also boost the number of frozen fruits and vegetables that can be sold, which have a longer shelf life.

"We're hoping that the changes will make it easier for stores to stock a wide variety of healthy foods that match up with their customers' food traditions and cultures, and familiar things that their customers are searching for," Klingler said.

Another thing that became clear to city staff was that store owners wanted to carry things like soy or almond milk, which fulfills a requirement but often doesn't come in the half-gallon or gallon containers required by the ordinance for milk products.

"They technically had healthy foods on their shelves but we couldn't count them towards the requirements," Klingler said. "The proposed changes will expand the acceptable package sizes and let the stores stock those types of things that they know their customers want."

The public hearing on the proposed changes will be held before the council's Public Health, Environment, Civil Rights and Engagement Committee Monday at 1:30 p.m. If the committee approves the proposal, the full council will take it up on Dec. 7.