Wal-Mart unveils plan to sell healthier food items

Wal-Mart unveils plan to sell healthier food items

Wal-Mart announced Thursday an initiative to sell healthier options to U.S. consumers by reformulating its many store-brand items to contain less sugar and sodium. The retail chain also said it will urge suppliers to deliver healthier food items as well.

Other plans that will please customers is a reduction in the prices of produce and putting up stores in underserved, low-income areas.

Wal-Mart executives were joined by First Lady Michelle Obama in Washington today in announcing the program in conjunction with her campaign to fight obesity.

Obama said Wal-Mart's initiative has "the potential to transform the marketplace and help Americans put healthier foods on their tables every single day."

Food manufacturers have also implemented similar programs like Wal-Mart's due to increasing clamor from consumers and health groups for healthier products. Companies such as Kraft Foods Inc., Bumble Bee Foods, PepsiCo Inc., and General Mills Inc. are some of the companies which have reduced sodium content of their food products in 2010.

What is significant is how the size of Wal-Mart can impact the eating habits and health of many Americans. Wal-Mart has 15 percent of the nationwide retail sector and is roughly twice the size of second-largest grocer chain Kroger.

Wal-Mart's Great Value store brand comprises 20 percent of the food items sold in its stores. Suppliers of this brand and others will need to cooperate with Wal-Mart if its program is to become a success.

But that seems to be not of particular concern to Wal-Mart, considering how it had influenced producers in past initiatives. For example, toothpaste and deodorant products are now sold without boxes after Wal-Mart urged companies to limit packaging.

Posted by George Daniels on Sunday January 23 2011, 9:43 AM EDT. Ref: AP. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Shopping. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0