Asda is set to trial a number of health-led initiatives across 10 of its stores, with the aim of reducing barriers to encourage people to make healthier food & drink choices.
Rolling out over the next 12 weeks, the initiative has been developed with the help of Nesta, an independent research and innovation charity.
Early last year, Asda committed to improving the average health score of its sales year-on-year, measured using the Government’s Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM),
The trial will gather insights into how different initiatives can incentivise shoppers to pick up healthier options.
The changes in the pilot stores will include the introduction of healthier choice bays in snacking aisles, encouraging people towards alternatives such as higher-fibre and calorie-controlled options.
Asda will also see how its Rollback price cut scheme can positively impact healthier SKUs across snacking, frozen and fresh produce.
Meanwhile, the retailer will trial better-for-you choices like dried fruits & nuts snacks at checkouts, and incentivise increased fruit and vegetable consumption via offers and vouchers. It will also utilise promotional space to focus on healthier product lines.
“As a responsible retailer, we know that we play an important role in providing accessible, healthy choices that still deliver great value for our customers,” said Kris Comerford, Chief Commercial Officer for Food at Asda.
“With Nesta’s support, this trial will help us understand how to incentivise customers to choose healthier choices, and the positive impact these choices can have on the nation’s health.”
Hugo Harper, director of healthy life at Nesta, added: “People want it to be easier to make healthier choices when buying food for themselves and their families. Supermarkets play a crucial role in the food we eat – not just in terms of what they stock but also how food is advertised and promoted.
“Our long-standing partnership with Asda is providing crucial insights into what works for shoppers. Making healthy food as accessible and affordable as possible can go hand in hand with a thriving business and it’s through testing what works with customers that we can deliver this change at scale.”
The Asda stores where the initiatives will be trialled include Canterbury Superstore, Ramsgate Supermarket, Charlton Superstore, Woking Superstore, Tunbridge Wells Superstore, Gillingham Pier Superstore, Newton Leys Supermarket, Brighton Marina Superstore, Eastleigh Supercentre, and Southampton Superstore.
NAM Implications:
- All of this points to less healthy food brands being a tougher sell-in to Asda.
- (to the advantage of healthier food suppliers prepared to innovate and integrate with in-store programmes)
- Worth watching the trial stores…
