An educated consumer is our best customer
Retail aficionados will recognize the headline above as the long-running tagline for Syms, the recently liquidated off-price apparel retailer. While things didn’t work out as founder Sy Syms or his CEO daughter Marcy had planned, Walmart is looking to apply similar logic about educated consumers to the area of nutrition, healthy eating and smart shopping.
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation this week donated $9.5 million to nine different organizations to support nutrition education programs, provide classes focused on learning to cook and shop for healthier foods on a budget and provide live cooking demonstrations in communities nationwide. The collection efforts of these organizations are expected to reach roughly 300,000 people.
“We want to help our customers make healthier decisions whether that’s through their in-store experience at Walmart or through taking a class focused on nutrition education,” said Andrea Thomas, Walmart’s SVP sustainability. “(These grants) will give thousands of Americans access to nutrition education classes, cooking demonstrations and nutritional recipes—essential tools to living a healthier life.”
Providing consumers with the tools and knowledge to make smarter choices about nutrition and food preparation is commendable, but this is where the expression comes to mind about how you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.
Surely, some portion of the 300,000 people Walmart is investing $9.5 million to reach already know that a meal consisting of steamed broccoli, grilled chicken breast and whole grain bread washed down with low fat milk followed by a brisk walk is healthier option than a country-fried steak with cream gravy, a side of fries doused in ketchup and a soda before settling in on the couch for the evening. Even in the face of increased knowledge, reduced prices on healthier options or improved access, many consumers will continue to choose products and a lifestyle they know to be detrimental to their health.
Even so, Walmart deserves to be commended for playing a proactive role in arming it customers with the information and tools to make smarter choices. Whether they choose to do so remains to be seen.
As part of Walmart’s efforts, it has tapped the knowledge of nutritionist and author, Rovenia M. Brock, Ph.D., who is known for providing a unique brand of inspiration, nutrition education, and health advice to help Americans develop better, more nutritious eating habits.
“Nutrition education plays a vital role in helping families break bad health habits‚ from eating comfort foods to resisting exercise,” Brock said. “As we tackle the issue of obesity in this country, every family must take a step back and look at what they are putting on the table for their children. Eating better today can help reduce the likelihood that your child will suffer from chronic health problems later in life.”
Organizations receiving funding from Walmart and the Walmart foundation include:
Action for Healthy Kids: $1.5 million to help increase access to healthy food and improve nutrition education at 400 schools nationwide. Program expects to increase access to nutrition programs to 160,000 school-age children.
American Medical Association Foundation: $300,000 to expand nutrition and health programs at 11 free clinics nationwide, serving more than 7,000 individuals.
Children’s Health Fund: $1.3 million to enhance obesity screening and nutritional counseling to 10,000 low-income and homeless children in six states and provide ongoing nutritional education through the Starting Right program.
League of United Latin American Citizen: $500,000 to support healthy living education courses and community health festivals. The program is expected to reach more than 8,000 individuals.
National Black Child Development Institute: $300,000 to provide nutrition education to African-American families with young children in five cities, serving more than 10,000 participants.
National 4-H Council: $1.35 million to deliver healthy living education to 40,000 youth in 15 states through Youth Voice: Youth Choice program. State councils will also be encouraged to develop healthy living action plans to combat unhealthy eating habits.
National Latino Children’s Institute: $225,000 to encourage healthy nutrition practices and help prevent chronic disease among 5,000 Hispanic children and their families.
Oldways: $100,000 to encourage dietary changes in the African-American community through Oldway’s African Heritage Diet program. The program will provide nutrition education to 4,000 participants.
Share Our Strength: $4 million to provide grocery store tours to 7,500 participants through Shopping Matters which helps low-income families learn how to shop healthy on a budget. 31,000 participants will also be reached through Cooking Matters, a six-week course on how to cook healthier meals on a budget.