At an event in Washington D.C. yesterday, Wal-mart (NYSE: WMT), the nation's largest grocer, announced a comprehensive effort to provide healthier and more affordable food choices.
The company was joined by First Lady Michelle Obama as it outlined the five key elements of the program including:
- Reformulating thousands of packaged food items by 2015 to reducing sodium 25% and added sugars 10%, and to remove all remaining industrially produced trans fats. The company said it will work with suppliers to improve the nutritional quality of national food brands and its Great Value private brand in key product categories to complete the reformulations.
- Making healthier choices more affordable, saving customers approximately $1 billion per year on fresh fruits and vegetables through a variety of sourcing, pricing and transportation and logistics initiatives that aim to drive unnecessary costs out of the supply chain. Walmart also said it will dramatically reduce or eliminate the price premium on key "better-for-you" items, such as reduced sodium, sugar or fat products.
- Developing strong criteria for a simple front-of-package seal that will help consumers instantly identify "truly" healthier food options such as whole grain cereal, whole wheat pasta or unsweetened canned fruit.
- Providing solutions to address so-called food deserts by building stores in underserved communities that are in need of fresh and affordable groceries.
- Increasing charitable support for nutrition programs that help educate consumers about healthier food solutions and choices.
"No family should have to choose between food that is healthier for them and food they can afford," said Bill Simon, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. "We are committed to working with suppliers, government and non-governmental organizations to provide solutions that help Americans eat healthier and live a better life."
This program builds on the First Lady's "Let's Move" campaign to make healthy choices more convenient and affordable for families.
The effort is designed to help reduce the consumption of sodium, sugar and trans fats, which are major contributors to the epidemic of obesity and chronic diseases in America today, including high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
