Woolworths in Australia has announced changes to its checkouts and aisles that are designed to help customers increase healthier choices in their shopping basket.
The supermarket giant will remove kids’ confectionery from its checkouts over the coming weeks as well as introducing more healthier food choices with a Health Star Rating (HSR) of 3.5 or above on the front and back of food aisles.
While the aisle ends will still feature ‘sometimes foods’ and treats such as chips that are on special, the changes mean that customers will also see a similar snacking option with a 3.5 HSR or above on display on a shelf on each promotional end.
The move follows on from changes to checkouts introduced last year by Woolworths, where it increased the range of healthier options, including wholegrain crackers and bars.
Woolworths research shows that almost a third of customers mostly or always use HSR to choose between different food products.
Natalie Davis, Managing Director, Woolworths Supermarkets, said these are small but important steps in the right direction to making healthier choices easier for customers.
“There’s no replacement for wholesome food like fruit and veg, but removing kids’ confectionery from checkouts and helping customers make small swaps on food they pick up at the end of an aisle or at the checkout, can help make a positive impact on their shopping habits.
“We also know value and affordability are important to our customers, so we’ve been very deliberate in selecting options that are healthier and great value to take the stress out of picking up a quick snack or special on-the-go.
“This includes a focus on lower pricing for healthier products through initiatives like our seasonal Prices Dropped program. In our latest Prices Dropped for Autumn program, more than half of our sales came from healthier products (3.5 HSR and above). We’re also seeing lower prices on some vegetables right now, and are encouraging all our customers to take advantage and enjoy some more fresh Australian veg this winter.
“We want to make healthier easier for all Australians and this builds on many changes we’ve made over the years to help our customers make healthier choices. We’ll continue to look at ways to create affordable healthier options across our range, together with our supplier partners.”
Further to the removal of kids’ confectionery, customers will notice that 80 per cent of checkout space will be dedicated to healthier options, nationally over the coming weeks.
Source: www.c-store.com.au
