USA – The American retailer, Kroger Co. has unveiled a personalized nutrition mobile platform OptUp, a wellness app that provides customers with nutritional information on the produce they purchase at the grocery stores.
With the app, customers can see product recommendations, scan, search items to find nutrition facts and product alternatives, and helps make healthier purchase decisions.
It has key features including scoring groceries based on nationally-recognized dietary guidelines, personalised recommendations, reviewing one’s household OptUp score and add better-for-you options to your digital cart for curbside pickup or delivery.
“The OptUp app is a part of Kroger’s recently-launched Wellness Your Way platform in support of Restock Kroger,” said Collen Lindholz, president of pharmacy for Kroger.
“The app puts nutritional information at your fingertips and makes finding and buying ‘better-for-you’ products easier and simpler.
As part of redefining the customer experience, we are encouraging our shoppers to engage in a balanced, holistic approach to self-care.”
OptUp scores range from 0-1000, reflecting a customer’s purchase history over the past eight weeks and the ideal score is 600 or better.
The yellow category range is 36-70 while the red category ranges from 1-35.
Products in the green category are scored on a 71 or better scale, are lower in saturated fat, sodium, sugar, and calories, and may be higher in fiber, protein, and fruit/vegetable, or nut content, according to Kroger.
The company said it will keep improving the OptUp app by adding more features and greater personalization for customers’ specific health needs and preferences.
“OptUp is a collaboration among our health, tech, digital, and 84.51° teams,” said Yael Cosset, Kroger’s chief digital officer.
“The data-driven app creates a more transparent and educational experience for our customers, continuing our commitment to help Americans shop, eat, and live healthier on their terms.”
Healthy eating, a new strategy for grocers
OptUp is part of Kroger’s Wellness Your Way platform that uses technology to improve health and wellness for customers even as other grocers make an increasing push to encourage healthy eating.
U.S. regional supermarket chain, Woodman’s Markets launched MyUpside app that helps shoppers find better-for-you brands while earning cash rewards and other perks.
In May, grocery store Leever’s Supermarket Inc launched a mobile loyalty app (Snap2Save) that encourages healthier eating by incentivizing the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables.
