Coles supermarket in major health food switch in every aisle

A major Australian supermarket is shrinking its health food aisle and adopting a ‘health in every aisle’ strategy. See how you will benefit.

The separation of health foods and regular shelf products is changing at a leading Australian supermarket and nutritionists believe the move will help Australians make more conscious decisions about what they are eating.

Coles is expanding its program to have “health in every aisle” so shoppers can now find health food breakfasts among the Rice Bubbles and Cornflakes and “healthy” pasta is back among the regular fettuccine and spirals.

Karen Stafford, accredited practising dietitian at Nutrition Australia says emerging consumer trends and demand for “health food” products had encouraged the increase of health snack food production in recent years with growth projected to continue.

“This change (at Coles) may be a positive step towards providing Australians with more options and a move away from the concept of ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ foods. There are plenty of nutritious foods living in the regular aisles of the supermarket and moving all foods together can provide shoppers with greater choice to make the right choices for them and their families,” she says.

MORE ACCESSIBLE

Health and fitness business owners Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw from Keep It Cleaner have produced a healthy grocery range for five years but are thrilled to see their pasta products moving back into the regular pasta aisle at Coles.

“Our health app and grocery range is all about making health and wellness more accessible to everyone,” Henshaw says.

Keep it Cleaner business owners Laura Henshaw, left, and Steph Claire Smith at Coles. Picture: Nicki Connolly

“It just makes sense that our pasta sits with all the other pastas, particularly for those shoppers that might struggle with gluten intolerance and that sort of stuff.”

Smith and Henshaw agree the health food aisle could feel intimidating to everyday Australians, often putting them off trying healthier options.

Henshaw says making small changes to your diet can be hugely rewarding, and hopes to see more Australians reaching for healthier, holistic options now certain products are returning to regular aisles.

“I feed my son Harvey (16 months) our healthier pasta and he loves it and can’t tell the difference.

“But he’s getting more fibre and protein than from the average pasta,” Smith says.

CONVENIENCE

Leanne White, general manager grocery at Coles, says the supermarket has “a very simple philosophy and it’s around how do we help Australians lead healthier and happier lives”.

She says as demand for more healthier products increases with customers, Coles “will continue to move with the trends and the needs of our customer base” and will introduce another 19 health food items including baking mixes, flours, sauces, tea, and sugar into regular aisles soon.

Health foods will be integrated back into regular categories at Coles in coming months, helping shoppers such as Jorja Goodwin with her mum Jenni Goodwin and sister Sheriden Goodwin find items suitable for their family more easily. Picture: Richard Dobson

“Health food consumption is a growing area so the biggest opportunity we have is to help make it even easier for customers to buy. It’s 100 per cent about convenience and finding the most intuitive space where customers can locate them.”

Stafford reminds shoppers that it’s important to understand that while some foods are labelled and marketed as “health foods” or “super foods” it doesn’t necessarily mean they provide more nutritional value or are healthier.

“For example some gluten free health food products can be higher in sugar or saturated fat, or a product with a ‘low fat’ claim may be higher in sugar. Looking at labels is beneficial no matter which aisle the food is in and if all products are located together, it can make comparing easier,” she says.

Originally published as Coles supermarket in major health food switch in every aisle