Food Lion to roll out Healthy Savings program

Food Lion this week plans to begin accepting the Healthy Savings card, which gives shoppers discounts on better-for-you foods.

The Salisbury, N.C.-based grocery chain said that, starting on Aug. 7, customers in Virginia who are Healthy Savings cardholders will be able to save instantly at checkout on fresh produce, whole grains, lean meat, yogurt and other foods.

Plans call for Healthy Savings to be implemented chainwide within the next two weeks. Food Lion, part of Ahold Delhaize USA, has more than 1,000 stores overall in 10 states.

Consumers signed up for Healthy Savings can save more than $50 each week on healthier foods without having to clip, print or download coupons.

“Food Lion offers an expanded assortment of healthy products at affordable prices, and we are excited to offer additional savings on our already low prices to customers,” Marty Miller, customer loyalty manager at Food Lion, said in a statement.

Healthy Savings is a service of Solutran Inc., a Minneapolis-based electronic benefits transfer (EBT) and payment processor. Powered by Solutran’s S3 platform, the program is sponsored by health plans, nonprofits, government entities and private employers as a way to promote personal well-being by getting employees to eat more wisely, particularly more fresh fruit and vegetables.

Related:Food Lion debuts revamped stores in Virginia

After enrolling at MyHealthySavings.com, customers get a Healthy Savings card and then register it and download the Healthy Savings mobile app. The program begins with 25% off fresh produce and adds similar discounts on lean meat, whole-grain bread, milk, eggs and other healthful food. More than 200 brands provide savings on prequalified products promoted on the program, whose members buy 70% more fresh produce than non-members.

“Healthy Savings members shop at stores where they can save on the healthier foods they seek,” said Chad Kelly, Chief Marketing Officer of Solutran, the company behind Healthy Savings, “and the addition of Food Lion will give Healthy Savings members many more convenient locations to shop.”

Solutran has said it plans to expand the Healthy Savings retail network to more than 22,000 stores in 2019. Butera Market, Piggly Wiggly Midwest, Hy-Vee and Albertsons Cos.’ Acme Markets are among the grocery retailers that have joined the Healthy Savings program this year. Other participating supermarket operators include Cub Foods, Coborn’s, Pick n’ Save, Cash Wise Foods, Copps, Giant Food, Western Beef and Kroger.