Tesco has taken a dual approach to encouraging healthy eating, highlighting its “better for you” options and promoting “health through stealth” in its private-label lines to appeal to its wide customer base.

According to Tesco nutritionist Karen Tonks, the company aims to “make it easier for customers to live more healthily” by providing better nutritional information and increasing the accessibility of healthy options.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

However, in order to deliver on this aim, Tesco has had to adopt various different tactics to further its health agenda, Tonks revealed last week at the Food and Drink Federation’s BCCC annual conference.

The company has focused on communicating the health benefits of its private-label Light Choices line as it looks to appeal to the consumer groups it tags as “dieters” and “health challenged” – the latter being “mainstream families who want healthy diets but need help to understand what changes they can make”.

“We want to help focus people to make a healthier choice,” Tonks commented. The retailer has therefore placed its healthier ranges alongside standard lines and offers Light Choices “healthier treats”.

However, Tesco also wants to improve the diet of “unhealthy” and “disinterested” consumers, Tonks revealed. “That is where reformulation comes into place,” she said.

“For those who aren’t interested – or think ‘healthy’ means no taste – we have reformulated over 3,000 products since 2005 to improve their nutrient content. All of our own brand products contain no added trans fats, artificial colours or flavours,” she said.