Walmart Goes Healthy

Over the years, The Konformist has been among the critics of Walmart and its business practices. Those criticisms remain, but credit must be given where credit is due. And Walmart must be given credit for changes being done to the quality of its food:
1. Reformulating thousands of everyday packaged food items by 2015 by reducing sodium 25 percent and added sugars 10 percent, and by removing all remaining industrially produced trans fats. The company 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;

2. 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 will drive unnecessary costs out of the supply chain. Walmart will also dramatically reduce or eliminate the price premium on key “better-for-you” items, such as reduced sodium, sugar or fat products;

3. 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;

4. Providing solutions to address food deserts by building stores in underserved communities that are in need of fresh and affordable groceries; and

5. Increasing charitable support for nutrition programs that help educate consumers about healthier food solutions and choices.


This is pretty great stuff, made even greater by the fact that Walmart, being the Goliath of the grocery chains, pretty much makes the standards of production for the entire industry...

Walmart Launches Major Initiative to Make Food Healthier and Healthier Food More Affordable
Jan. 20, 2011
http://walmartstores.com/pressroom/news/10514.aspx