ShopRite launches wellness program to cut through nutritional white noise

Wellness is everywhere. And sometimes, that’s precisely the problem.

In an effort to combat that, ShopRite launched the Well Everyday program in April, an “in-store messaging program that is aimed at highlighting better food choices and designed to help customers take small steps towards better nutrition,” according to a company release.

Consumers make more than 65% of their purchasing decisions while browsing the aisles, ShopRite’s director of health & wellness, Natalie Menza-Crowe, RD, MS said. She believes that through programs like the Well Everyday program, ShopRite can have a stronger influence on those in-store judgment calls and perhaps it can significantly alter long-term customer patterns. 

Menza-Crow said that the brand found many of its shoppers were overwhelmed by the abundance of healthy-eating related information that is available. Would-be healthy tips were becoming white noise.

To fight back, the new campaign includes in-store signage to generate “uplifting” and “positive” conversations with shoppers about healthier choices and recipes. In-store dietitians can also be found giving demonstrations that break down nutritional information into basic, easy-to-absorb nuggets. Wellness Everyday content is also featured on the store’s website.

Menza-Crowe stressed that the program was not about putting down one food choice over another. However, the Nielsen Company would argue that the decision to draw extra attention to organic, natural foods as the weather warms is a proven winning strategy.

“For retailers, spring is the perfect time to bring in-store attention to superfoods in the produce aisle,” states a recently released Nielsen report. The study found that superfoods such as chia seeds, kale, quinoa and strawberries all rose in price between 2016 and 2017. Their sales increased over the 12-month span ending March 25, 2017, as well. 

Menza-Crowe said that ShopRite will analyzing the success of the program both in terms of sales and how many shoppers felt they learned more about nutrition because of the initiative. Shoppers will be interviewed to determine the impact of the initiative.

ShopRite and its more than 270 locations are part of the Wakefern Food Corp, which is the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States.