REWE Group: Labels should show what is really inside

Cologne / Brussels, 06.03.07

Private label products to show comprehensive nutrition information in future – Eating healthy made easier for consumers with help of the information

REWE Group, as one of the leading European food traders, is to give consumers even more extensive information on the contents of the firm's own products. Clearly displayed nutrition content labels right on the front of the package show nutrition values for items such as energy (Kcal), fats, sugars, and salts will help consumers decide how to eat more healthily, thereby clearing the way for healthier lifestyles in general. "We are willing and able to give our customers the option of consciously choosing for or against certain products. By providing objective and easy-to-understand information on our private label products offered in REWE and PENNY stores, we are putting consumers in a position to make the right choices from their point of view", said the REWE Group Management Board in explaining the additional consumer-friendly labelling that provides supplemental nutrition data including calories, protein, and carbohydrates on the back of the packaging.

REWE Group's new nutrition labelling had its premiere at an exhibition held to mark the Nutrition Day event of EuroCommerce, the largest European trade association, on Tuesday, March 6, in Brussels; leading European trading companies presented their initiatives at the event in the framework of an action platform for nutrition, physical exercise, and health.

"The future labelling on our products will give customers true added value. The labels will follow the standards set by EuroCommerce", REWE Group said in Brussels. The lists of nutrient values based on 100ml/g and/or the specific serving size as well as information on the recommended daily requirements for each nutrient augment the consumer information already provided. REWE Group, which has its own office in Brussels since the beginning of the year, is of the opinion that voluntary labelling of this type is to be preferred to an EU-wide state-mandated solution for nutrient labelling currently under discussion that is based on generalised assessments that would group foods into "good" and "bad" according to a so-called stop-light system – a system which would in no way be scientifically justified.

Focused Expansion of Organics

Among the other initiatives REWE Group is promoting to make it easier for consumers to choose healthier lifestyles is the targeted expansion of the product range in organic foods. The company has been among the largest marketers of foods raised organically for twenty years, and its premium "Füllhorn" organic brand has seen growth rates in the double-digit range. REWE is expanding its selection of private label organic products to over 500 articles at 3,000 REWE supermarkets in Germany alone. Two thousand PENNY discount chain outlets are selling organic products under their own "Naturgut" private label brand. An entirely new marketing approach is underway in Germany in the form of REWE Group's "Vierlinden" natural food supermarkets selling a full range of 6,000 to 7,000 organic products. Outside Germany, REWE Group offers its Billa supermarket customers an expanding range of 600 organic products under the "ja natürlich" private label. Long-term contractual ties to organic producers guarantee REWE Group and its stores a secure supply of fresh fruits and vegetables from organic farming despite the ongoing strength of demand for organic foods.

QS Quality Assurance from the Farm to the Store Shelf

The firm also applies the same strict quality requirements to products from conventional agriculture. The QS testing emblem stands for consistent quality assurance across all stages of production, from the farm to green grocers' markets all the way to the food retailer. REWE Group was the first food retailer in Germany to apply the QS system to fruits and vegetables last year that had once begun with the labelling of meat and poultry.

The quality initiative to promote healthy nutrition even extends to REWE's own original quality standards for permissible residues in fruits and vegetables. REWE Group has tightened these standards for its fruit and vegetable suppliers. In future, residues may not exceed a limit set at 70 per cent of the regulatory ceilings or the so-called acute reference dosage. REWE Group is thus making a clear statement in favour of permanently reducing residues in fruits and vegetables.

Information on Healthy Nutrition with "5-a-Day" Fruits and Vegetables

By taking a stand for healthy, conscious nutrition, REWE Group is assuming its social responsibility as a company that practices sustainable business. The firm is a founding member of the "5-a-Day" health initiative in Germany that encourages the consumption of more fruits and vegetables – especially among youngsters. Each year, for instance, REWE gives pupils just beginning school around 100,000 packages containing fruit and age-appropriate information on healthy nutrition with "5-a-Day".

REWE Group is the number three in European food trading with a total turnover of 41.7 billion euros and 260,000 employees in Germany and 13 other European countries.

Contact

REWE GROUP-Corporate Communications
Tel.: 0221 - 149-1050
E-Mail: presse(at)rewe-group.com

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