In-Store Food Availability Audit

An in-store food availability audit is a structured observational protocol in which a trained auditor physically visits a food outlet and records, against a predefined checklist, which foods are stocked, at what prices, and in what condition. It is the general field-audit method that underpins much food-environment research: rather than inferring access from business listings, the auditor walks the aisles and documents reality. The approach was crystallised by validated instruments such as Glanz, Saelens and colleagues' Nutrition Environment Measures Survey, but the audit logic — define an item list, sample outlets, train raters, observe systematically, and check reliability — is a reusable protocol that researchers adapt to corner stores, supermarkets, markets, pharmacies and informal vendors. The output is a direct, reproducible characterisation of what people can actually buy where they live.