Woolworths has introduced a big change to its shopping trolleys which could mean shoppers make healthier choices about what they eat.
Food has been one of the hardest hit expenses since inflation began to soar, and recent data shows Aussies are making less health-conscious choices at the checkout to cope.
The cost of food is the top reason Australian households, particularly those with children, aren’t getting enough food, are compromising on nutrition or are experiencing disrupted eating habits, according to the Foodbank Hunger Report 2022.
In June, the organisation, which is the largest hunger relief charity in Australia, received 128,000 calls for assistance — a “particularly bad month” with numbers ”only getting worse”, according to Foodbank Western Australia CEO Kate O’Hara.
Both Woolies and Coles said in their 2022-2023 financial results shoppers were turning to frozen and canned products amid the soaring prices of fresh fruit, veggies and meat. Both supermarkets were also criticised heavily after posting larger-than-usual profits as average Aussies tighten their belts.
But this week, Woolworths has announced a $35 divider that separates shopping trolleys into five core food groups in line with the government’s dietary guidelines, to help customers understand how to shop for a balanced diet.
The dividers were rolled out in collaboration with Healthylife, an online health and wellness platform and pharmacy. They include four labelled compartments for each of the core food groups — fruit, vegetables and legumes, grains, meat, and dairy — alongside the smallest divider, which is dedicated to “sometimes” foods.
Healthylife also helped Woolies to develop a nutrient tracker within its Everyday Rewards app, which allows shoppers to monitor their purchases of products with added sugar, salt and saturated fat.
Healthylife recently examined data from 900 million transactions at Woolies and found Australians were falling short of the recommended intake of essential food groups.
Notably, the study highlighted a dramatic shortage in vegetable purchases, showing Aussies were buying a mere half of the recommended daily servings of vegetables while shopping at Woolworths.
Simone Austin, dietitian and chief health officer at Healthylife, said the company teamed up with Woolworths to help provide Aussies with the necessary tools to make healthier choices at the supermarket.
“We know grocery shopping can sometimes be overwhelming,” she said.
“With so many options to choose from, achieving a nutritionally balanced basket can be a challenge.
“Customers will be able to assess the food groups they are purchasing and if they need to, add more foods like fruit, veggies and grains to provide enough healthy meals and snacks for their household.”