Popular grocery store launches new program designed to make healthy shopping easier

On Tuesday (January 12), the province declared a state of emergency and implemented another stay-at-home order.

As of Thursday (January 14), Ontarians will only be permitted to leave their homes for essential reasons, such as grocery shopping, exercise, and work.

Additionally, businesses will be required to shorten the hours they are open, which will limit the amount of time residents have to do their shopping.

Fortunately, Metro has launched a new program intended to help Canadians eat healthily and shop more efficiently.

The company says its My Health My Choices program is a guide for customers who want to “simplify making the best product choices based on their lifestyle or health needs when they shop.”

As of Monday (January 11), nearly 9,000 products—found in stores, online, and through the My Metro app—will display one or more of the program attributes.

Further, AIR MILES members will have access to more personalized offers and content based on their favourite attributes on the My Metro application. Metro says the application will include a feature that allows customers to scan product barcodes, at home or in the store, to learn their particularities and which attributes they have.

Metro says it collaborated on the program with experts and specialists, the criteria for which was based on research data, analyzing Canadian consumer trends, Canada’s food guide, information published by regulatory bodies like Health Canada, and the standards for different dietary lifestyles.

“Every month in Ontario, more than 1.3 million searches are made on the Web in relation to the various attributes of My Health My Choices,” Mike Thomson, vice-president of Grocery Merchandising for Metro, said in a news release.

“With this program, we’re giving our customers the opportunity to choose foods that meet their own definition of wellness. The guide is designed to make their in-store or online shopping experience with us easier and more time-efficient,” he continued.

This program is the only one of its kind being offered by Canadian grocery stores.

Cover photo courtesy of Metro via Instagram