RETAIL & WHOLESALE WORKING FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CONTENTS FOREWORD 4 HEALTHY LIFESTYLES – OUR KEY MESSAGES 5 ACTIONS BY OUR MEMBER COMPANIES 6 Reformulation: more choice, healthier products 6 Responsible marketing: guiding and informing consumers on healthy choices 12 Beyond just the products: promoting a healthy lifestyle 16 MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INITIATIVES INVOLVING OUR MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS 22 FOREWORD “Unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity are significant negative factors influencing European consumers’ health and well-being. In 2014, half of EU adults (52 %) were con- sidered over-weight, while 1 in 6 adults were considered clinically obese. Food retailers and wholesalers are committed to addressing these issues in their product offer and in driving change by offering consumers an informed choice of foods to accompany healthy living. We believe that the retail sector can play an active role in contributing to the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal n°3 – Ensure healthy lives and pro- mote wellbeing for all at all ages. EuroCommerce supports its members in this area by facilitating sharing of best practice and engaging with key EU stakeholders on behalf of the sector. The examples in this publication reflect the many actions that our members have undertaken on their own, and in partnership with public and private organisations; they show the progress they have achieved so far. Retailers have introduced a number of initiatives aimed at making a positive impact on consumers’ dietary habits, tailored to the different cultures, habits and consumer demand across the EU. These include prod- uct reformulation to reduce sugar, salt or fat content, providing a wide choice of healthy options, responsible marketing and advertising, or broader health campaigns promoting physical activity. There is no easy and quick solution to the consequences of unhealthy lifestyles and changing behaviour is a slow process. However through these and many other actions, our members together with governments and other partners have shown, and will continue to pursue, their commitment to playing their part in the fight against overweight and obesity. This publication is only a partial snapshot of what is happening now, and we aim in the future to share more success stories on contributing to improved health and wellbeing for European consumers.” Christian Verschueren Director-General EuroCommerce HEALTHY LIFESTYLES – OUR KEY MESSAGES 1. Holistic strategy: Nutrition and health issues need to be addressed in a holistic strategy, not a one-size-fits-all approach. As dietary habits and lifestyles are integral to the cultures and traditions of each Member State and region, initiatives need to be tailored to varying consumer demand across the EU. The strategy must also focus on physical activity, as obesity trends can only be reversed if more active lifestyles are sup- ported and encouraged. Furthermore, public authorities, industry and civil society must cooperate in projects aiming to encourage healthy diets and lifestyles. 2. Role of business: Helping consumers to make healthy and balanced choices. Retailers and wholesalers, being the link between manufacturers and consumers, recognise their role and are willing to contribute to better nutrition and health, in partnership with governments and other sectors. As a sector with direct contact with consumers, retailers can make it easier for consumers to choose the healthy option through products reformulation, appropriate marketing or product. They are com- mitted to building on the significant achievements already realised, and will continue supporting new initiatives to deliver the best possible results for consumers and society. Retailers and wholesalers invest considerable time, effort and resources in voluntary initiatives to support improved consumer lifestyles. However, behaviour- al change is a slow process, initiatives need time to work. Legislation should only complement voluntary initiatives and be outcome-focused, not prescriptive with detailed solutions. 3. Need for education: Consumer education is key to realising lasting changes in life- style and eating habits. Commercial initiatives are most effective when accompanied by proper education programmes. Public health is primarily the responsibility of pub- lic authorities, and education is an important tool for policy fulfilment. All foods have a place in a balanced and varied diet, and consumers should be educated on how to achieve a balanced approach. This approach is often more efficient when developed in multi-stakeholder partnerships. ACTIONS BY OUR MEMBER COMPANIES REFORMULATION: MORE CHOICE, HEALTHIER PRODUCTS Nutrition/product reformulation is the way retailers (and food producers) can enhance the nutritional value of their food products, by innovating in recipes and product compo- sition. Generally, products are developed to be healthier, by, for example, reducing the salt, sugar and/or (trans) fat content. Food reformulation is a way to offer healthier and more nutritious products to consumers. Many food manufactur- ers and retailers have engaged in this process in the past years, often supported by national authorities and the EU. In February 2016, EU Member States agreed on a Roadmap for Action on Food Product Improvement developed by the Dutch Presidency. This Roadmap, endorsed by EuroCommerce, was followed by Council conclusions in June 2016, asking Member States to produce national product improvement plans by the end of 2017. As part of the Roadmap, industry is also encouraged to draw up and implement product reformulation plans. The reformulation challenges Reformulation is not an easy task. The challenge is to maintain quality and taste whilst bringing levels of some nutrients down. Salt, sugar and fats can play a number of roles in the food composition, and reformulation faces a number of constraints. > Structure: Change of nutrients can influence the structure of the food. For example, sugar gives speculoos their crunch. > Preservation: Nutrients are also preservative elements. In jams for example, reducing them would shorten the life of the product. This is also a food safety issue. The possible solutions include storage instructions, new packaging and using other preservatives. > Legal aspects: Sometimes food compositions are subject to changing legal EU or national requirements. For example, mayonnaise is required by EU law to contain eggs. > Need of equipment: The manufacturer needs to have the right resources and equipment to undertake reformu- lations. This is especially challenging for SMEs. > Consumer acceptance: Consumers have to be satisfied by the new recipe. For this reason, it is very difficult for food manufacturers to make drastic reformulations in one go, and it is easier to achieve these through gradual reformulations. 6 Retailers’ commitments Retailers have embarked on ambitious reformulation projects, mainly focusing on sugar, salt and fat reductions. Reformulation projects can target specific product categories (cereals, yoghurts, soft drinks, bread, etc.) and/or specific nutrients. BELGIUM COLRUYT GROUP The retailer started with scrutiny of all food product catego- After breakfast cereals were identified as a priority, Colruyt ries according to an annual plan to define priorities. These Group put in place reformulation plans. The result was 44% reflected each product's scope for improvement and the less sugar for Boni Selection Choco Clams and 12% less for number of customers who consume it. e.g: Cereals: less sug- Boni Selection Cereal Flakes with black chocolate. Everyday ar, less salt, more fibre. Cornflakes had their salt content reduced by 38%. Boni Selection Muesli now contains 49% more fibre than before. GERMANY REAL METRO AG’s retail line Real has set itself the goal of check- by the end of 2017. Real put a focus on the reformulation of ing the recipes of its processed own-brand products and its products which are especially consumed by children or are own-produced foods in stores for their salt, fat and/or sugar known to have a high content of fat, sugar and/or salt. For content and, if possible, to optimise them. In this way, Real example, Real reduced the fat, sugar and/or salt content of aims to help its customers lead an active and healthy life- cereals, ketchup, yoghurts and soft drinks. In the future Real style. Real achieved its aim of reformulating more than 150 will gradually further improve the recipes of its own-brand own-brand products and own-produced foods in its markets products and own-produced foods. AUSTRIA, FRANCE, GERMANY, ITALY, POLAND, PORTUGAL, ROMANIA, SPAIN, SWEDEN & UK HERBALIFE NUTRITION - PRO 20 SELECT To address the growing demand for healthy diets, in early 2018 Herbalife Nutrition launched a new water-mixable protein shake (PRO 20 Select) in 12 EU markets. GERMANY BELGIUM, NETHERLANDS, CZECH REPUBLIC, GREECE, LIDL ROMANIA AND SERBIA With the Lidl Reduction Strategy 2025, Lidl Germany AHOLD aims to reduce the sales-weighted, average content of added sugar and salt by 20 % by 2025 in its own-brand DELHAIZE GROUP products. This will be achieved, among other things, by At Ahold Delhaize, company-wide 2020 targets were reducing the added sugar and salt content in food as identified for two areas that play a vital role in the well as reducing the packaging and portion sizes, com- overall ambition to make healthier eating an everyday plemented by providing a wider range of alternative reality: the own-brand range of healthier products and products that