Albertsons takes on Amazon, Walmart with digital health offering
The digital health arena has a major new player.
Grocery giant Albertsons Companies Inc. is debuting Sincerely Health, a digital health and wellness platform that is now accessible on 16 of its banners’ grocery app and websites, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Shaw’s, Jewel-Osco, Acme, and Tom Thumb.
To utilize Sincerely Health, customers take a brief questionnaire that measures their health score based on seven aspects of well-being. The scores are calculated using actuarial science, considering varying personal factors such as age, gender, nutrition, lifestyle choices, and mental health.
The platform enables users to link activity trackers such as Apple Health, Fitbit and Google Fit, as well as log their vitals and medication regimen. Customers can then set goals to improve their health score, track their progress, and receive actionable insights and rewards for achieving those goals.
Sincerely Health also offers an online pharmacy solution that includes tools for managing prescriptions, scheduling vaccine appointments, and connecting users with general practitioners via telehealth services.
Albertsons built Sincerely Health in collaboration with healthcare providers, insurance companies, and health-focused technology companies. The retailer also collected feedback from over 10,000 customers and associates, and says the platform will continually develop new features, collaborations and enhancements based on customer feedback.
Customers joining Sincerely Health from their participating Albertson’s banner’s grocery app will receive an initial incentive of up to $25 off an upcoming grocery purchase redeemable across stores. As customers take additional actions such as set a health goal or respond to a health recommendation, they can earn additional points.
“We are introducing Sincerely Health with a singular intention to improve lives,” said Omer Gajial, chief digital officer and executive VP health at Albertsons Cos. “As a grocery and pharmacy retailer committed to the health and wellness of our communities, we are empowering customers to have a connected and personalized view of their health across food, nutrition, activity, mental well-being and pharmacy services, enabling them to make more informed choices.”
Amazon, Walmart move into health care
Albertson’s has some stiff existing competition for its new digital health service. In July 2022, Amazon entered into an agreement to acquire One Medical, a membership-based primary health care provider, for $3.9 billion. The San Francisco-based health care startup offers a combination of in-person, digital and virtual care services, promising members “24/7 access to virtual care.”
Although Amazon shuttered its Amazon Care service, which provided immediate access to a wide range of urgent and primary care services, at the end of 2022, the company has publicly said it seeks to “dramatically improve the healthcare experience over the next several years.”
Chief Amazon rival Walmart is also making inroads into the burgeoning digital health care market. In January 2022, Walmart expanded a partnership with clinical laboratory Quest Diagnostics, following other health care acquisitions such as multi-specialty telehealth provider MeMD and health care app developer CareZone.
As of Dec. 3, 2022, Albertsons Companies Inc. operated 2,270 retail food and drug stores with 1,720 pharmacies, 402 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 19 manufacturing facilities. The company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia with 24 banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci's Food Lovers Market.