Supermarket Reshuffle Promotes Veggie Intake

You may find soon that you can’t locate everything on your shopping list when you head to your local supermarket. This is because the way some supermarkets are laid out is being changed in a bid to get shoppers to pop more veggies in their trolleys.

A project between shop bosses and a team at Oxford University is aiming to alter how people shop so they pick up more vegetables and less meat in a bid to make their weekly shop more sustainable.

Part of the £5 million Wellcome Trust programme called Our Planet, Our Health, it is hoped that by promoting more sustainable foods throughout supermarkets to change shopping habits, we can impact the environment in a positive way.

Things you’ll notice if you happen to shop in one of the supermarkets taking part in the project include vegetarian options being on the same shelves as meat products, making vegetables more prominent and providing recipes to help people cook more veggie-friendly meals. It has also been proposed that more loyalty points be given to shoppers who pick up vegetarian options over meat.

The changes will also allow Oxford academics to see what effect the alterations have on habits. This could let them assess what effect simple alterations like this have on broader issues, such as climate change.

Eating more vegetables and vegetarian alternatives could help the environment because these products are easier to produce and are usually completely sustainable. Many of us also don’t get enough fruit and veg in our diets, so this could help you to become healthier and balance the foods you eat more.

More and more people are choosing to eat vegetarian meals in recent years, with the choice of foods becoming much broader. As well as there being more fresh and frozen options, there is also greater variety when it comes to fruit and vegetables.

As well as changing store layouts to promote vegetarian foods, sections of the stores will also be designed to inspire people to cook from scratch using sustainable ingredients. This will include things like pasta and rice made from vegetables, which are healthier than traditional versions.

Even online shoppers will see a change, as suggestions given to you based on what you’ve bought before will include healthier, more sustainable products. This means that everyone could see a benefit from the project, which could help change things in the future.