Half of food retailers significantly or moderately increased their health and well-being programs over the past year, according to FMI’s The Food as Medicine Opportunity in Food Retail report, created in partnership with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation.
“At a time of growing consumer interest in enhancing their health and well-being through food, it is appropriate to talk about the role of food in the context of medicine, as food can help prevent disease and promote health, manage chronic conditions, improve nutrition security and simply nourish,” said Krystal Register, director of health and well-being for FMI, in a statement.
The report highlights five program models that food retailers can use to support specific initiatives and collect and report metrics to stakeholders. The combination of program models demonstrates improved results, including positive health outcomes and return on investment for retail operations, according to FMI. The recommendations in the report also note the importance of establishing credible messages and programs with an emphasis on connecting with grocery shoppers through science-based, preventative, and universal communications.
“Food retailers are established as trusted partners in a customer’s shopping journey, providing multiple touch points and interactions with customers — from in-store to online,” said Allison Yoder, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation’s Nutrition in Food Retail program development fellow, in a statetment. “Registered dietitian nutritionists can help guide retailers on how to meet the nutritional needs of their customers. As the food and nutrition experts, RDNs understand the important role that nutrition plays in overall health.”
Related: FMI Develops Online Training for Workplace Violence Prevention; FMI Report Explores the State of Foodservice at Retail.