Wal-Mart Launches Nutritional Labeling and Price Cuts to Fight the Obesity Surge as Part of First Lad\y Obama's 'Let's Move' Campaign by TaQuana Williams

Wal-Mart Launches Nutritional Labeling and Price Cuts to Fight the Obesity Surge as Part of First Lady Obama's 'Let's Move' Campaign
By TaQuana Williams

Special to Trice Edney News Wire from the District Chronicles

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Standing in front of a backdrop of fresh produce, first lady Michelle Obama and Wal-Mart executives last month launched a nutritional and price cuts initiative to fight the obesity epidemic.  

Wal-Mart, the nations largest retailer, plans to lower sodium, sugar and trans fat levels in the food it sells. The company also plans to cut prices on fruits and vegetables to make them affordable to low income customers.

“Today when I see a company like Wal-Mart launch an initiative like this it shows us that yes, we can improve how we make and sell food,” the First Lady said.  “This charter is a huge victory for folks all across this country.”

The First Lady and Wal-Mart executives announced a plan to make healthy food more available in cities during a press conference on Jan 20. in a theater at THEARC on Mississippi Ave. in Southeast, Washington. Thirty girls from The Washington Middle School For Girls in navy and khaki uniforms sat in the front row.

Nandi Cook-Creek, a 6th grader, nodded approval as the First Lady and Wal-Mart executives announced that lowering prices on produce and other healthy foods could save customers $1 billion.

“I think it’s really good that Wal-Mart is getting involved in lowering their prices so healthy food can be affordable,” said Cook-Creek.  

Pamela Leftrict, assistant vice president of external affairs for Verizon also welcomed Wal-Mart’s initiative to make healthy food affordable.   

  “As a mother of a 5-year-old, I was extremely excited to hear the announcement, because I also struggle to find healthy food options for my family,”  Leftrict said.  “I’m looking forward for what’s to come in the future.”

Each week, 140 million people shop at Wal-Mart in the US. The new healthy eating campaign has the ability to change the entire grocery industry, Obama said. If Wal-Mart’s competitors adopt the reformulations, adults in the U.S. potentially will consume about 47 million fewer pounds of sodium each year.

Wal-Mart's initiative was sparked by conversations the company was having with the First Lady regarding her “Let’s Move” campaign to combat childhood obesity, said Leslie Dach, executive vice president of Corporate Affairs for Wal-Mart.

In all, Wal-Mart’s plan for healthy, affordable food was enacted for one reason—“because customers shouldn’t have to pay more to eat healthier,” said Andrea Thomas, Wal-Mart’s senior vice president of sustainability. “Customers should be able to choose knowing the biggest difference in these products is not the price, but rather that one is better for you.”

Wal-Mart plans to cut the cost by finding savings throughout the production and supply chain, said Thomas.

The company has also made tackling food deserts across America a priority. These are urban and rural areas where there are few stores that sell affordable food.

Federal statistics show that Wards 7 and 8 have the District’s highest poverty and obesity rates. Wal-Mart is planning to open four stores in DC by 2012, including one at East Capitol Street and 58th Street, SE and one at New York Avenue and Bladensburg Road, N.E.  The other two stores in DC will be on the site of a former car dealership on Georgia Avenue, NW, and on New Jersey Avenue NW.

The Wal-Mart Foundation has given Share Our Strength a $1.5  million grant to expand the organization’s   “Cooking Matters” and “Shopping Matters” educational programs. Share Our Strength is a national organization dedicated to providing children facing hunger with nutritious food.

 Share Our Strength is a member of The Partnership to End Childhood Hunger which has a goal to provide 20,000 D.C. children with three government-subsidized meals a day in an effort to end childhood hunger.

 The First Lady takes Wal-Mart’s intiatives as a victory for families.

“When it comes to the health of our children we have a voice,” said Obama. “Parents haven’t just changed how Wal-Mart does business. They have changed how the industry does business.”

Michael Tomlin-Crutchfield also contributed to this article.