Dive Brief:
- HowGood ratings will soon be available at Giant Food stores around the country, according to an emailed company statement. Stores will support the HowGood program with in-store communication including signage, education at shelf, and a trained staff member to answer questions.
- HowGood researches and rates products based on sustainability, including aspects such as fair wages for employees, ethical animal treatment and environmental impact.
- Once HowGood has the data, ratings are included on grocery store shelves across the U.S. The ratings show consumers which products meet a strict criteria to help make more informed decisions.
Dive Insight:
The folks behind HowGood believe if their ratings were included in every one of the more than 6,000 Ahold-Delhaize stores in the U.S., it could effectively promote 18 million more sustainable products every week, and shift 8% of America’s food stream toward better buying practices.
That’s a bold statement to make, but numerous analysts have said that retailers could do more to promote clean labels. This certainly is an avenue to do it.
While nutrition labels are a great way for manufacturers to share their ingredient content with consumers, a recent Bernstein survey revealed that 48% of consumers said they distrust food labels. If retailers are getting involved in the process, they should work to improve that trust measure.
It remains to be seen if consumers will care enough to look at the ratings. Numerous surveys have shown that shoppers don’t stop to read labels and would rather rely on simpler information delivered by public statements, social media and the federal government.