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United Boosts Nutrition Education Program

United Boosts Nutrition Education Program

United Supermarkets has enhanced its shelf-edge nutrition education program by adding lean/low-fat and sugar-free/reduced-sugar identifiers to worthy items, chain spokesman Eddie Owens told SN.

LUBBOCK, Texas — United Supermarkets here has enhanced its shelf-edge nutrition education program by adding lean/low-fat and sugar-free/reduced-sugar identifiers to worthy items, chain spokesman Eddie Owens told SN.

The tags join those that highlight gluten-free, heart-healthy/ diabetes management and organic foods in 13 locations, including all of United’s Market Street stores. A new Market Street store will feature the tags when it opens April 1.

The system has undergone several changes since its 2005 inception, including the elimination of the low-glycemic tag, refinement of the heart-healthy tag to also include diabetes friendly and the inclusion of more stores in the program that initially launched in five locations.

The program has also become fully automated so that color-coded icons can be added to shelf price tags during the printing process.

“Previously, every tag that was placed on store shelves had to be done so manually, and every time a new product was added or existing products were eliminated, we had to go back and manually make those changes,” said Owen. "It's been a huge operational undertaking to get it to where we are right now."

More than 4,500 tags correspond to relevant products, including 2,004 organics, 343 gluten-free, 1,114 heart-healthy/diabetes management, 386 lean/low-fat and 669 sugar-free/reduced-sugar.

Market Street and participating United stores are using aisle signs to help shoppers become familiar with the program. Through March, participating stores will highlight a different tag each week.

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