UK Supermarkets Out Front on Whole Health
By George Anderson
Consumers in the UK are turning to supermarkets and away from specialty shops for their supplements and health food needs, according to a Euromonitor Report.
Tesco has taken the lead in this area by developing joint ventures that take
advantage of the expertise of others (RetailWire, 11/12/02, Tesco’s
Alternative Format) and by identifying the need for integrating its
expertise in food with health and beauty care to create a solid foundation for
a whole health program.
Simon Soffe, press manager, Tesco told Nutraingredients.com, “We’ve been growing the whole side of the pharmacy business. We want to be as expert in this type of business as in the food sector.” Mr. Soffe added, “It is merely our way of meeting demand for a growing market. It is about spotting new ways of making access to these products easier, opening up the market, and growing our business.”
Moderator’s Comment: Are US supermarkets actively looking
to develop the expertise needed for offering consumers a whole health program?
We worry that for too many retailers, whole health simply
means changing the title of a buyer. This wouldn’t be the first time this happened.
[George
Anderson – Moderator]