Lidl GB has today become the first discounter to introduce a ‘health marker’ to its own-label products. Known as Live Well, the scheme features a bean-shaped logo that is intended to signpost healthier food.
LIDL says the scheme goes further than simply informing customers about the nutritional profiles by aligning directly with the Planetary Health Diet – the global dietary initiative designed to benefit both human and planetary health, as well as broader sustainability criteria.
The Lidl Live Well logo has been developed in collaboration with the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), building on partnership principles with WWF to align with the Planetary Health Diet, and aims to give “shoppers confidence to make more holistic choices”.
Set to roll out in stores in the next six months, the logo will initially signpost over 100 Lidl own-label products, including fruit and veg, wholegrain products and plant-based protein products. It builds on the discounter’s commitments made earlier this year to increase the proportion of plant-based foods sold by 20% by 2030. With the launch of Live Well, Lidl GB is also committing to 10% of own-label food products meeting the Live Well criteria by 2030.
To be associated with the Live Well logo, products will meet evidenced-based nutrition criteria approved by the British Nutrition Foundation. All Live Well products will align to the Planetary Health Diet and have at least one specific, authorised health claim. Additionally, products must also meet criteria tailored to each category’s nutritional profile. This includes:
- Non-HFSS (aligned to FSA’s 2004/05 Nutrient Profiling Model)
- Low amounts of Fats, Saturated Fats, Sugar and Salt (green traffic light labels)
- High in/ source of fibre
In an industry first, the Lidl Live Well logo will also feature criteria to ensure products meet sustainability standards such as LEAF certification, critical raw materials verified as from sustainable sources and 100% recyclable packaging where possible.
Richard Bourns, Lidl GB chief commercial officer, said: “As UK supermarkets we must go further if we’re serious about supporting healthier lives whilst also meeting our net-zero commitments. We must broaden our view on health and consider planetary health alongside human health, moving beyond narrow definitions and supporting the wider food system. We’re proud to be launching our new Live Well logo, building on our industry-leading plant-based food sales commitment announced earlier this year to align with the Planetary Health Diet by 2050. We’ve taken time to get this right – working closely with The British Nutrition Foundation and WWF, to support customers with a clear navigation tool to identify products that support their health and the health of the planet.”
Sophie Bauer head of food transformation at WWF said: “Helping shoppers make choices that are good for them and good for the planet is vital for shifting our food system in the right direction. The new Lidl Live Well label is a welcome step in turning ambition into action and clearly communicating what healthier, more sustainable eating can look like in practice.”
Elaine Hindal, chief executive at The British Nutrition Foundation said: “The British Nutrition Foundation works with a range of partners to promote health and wellbeing and help prevent diet – related ill health through evidence-based nutrition science. Making the healthy choice the easiest choice is critical to a healthier, more sustainable food environment, and we are proud to work with Lidl towards this goal. With over 980 Lidl stores across the UK, this project is an excellent example of a collaboration that can deliver genuine impact towards the Government’s new food strategy, and do so at pace and at scale.”