Grocery Shoppers Are Following Stars to More Nutritio...( Hannaford Supermarkets Releases F...),Health

Hannaford Supermarkets Releases First-year Results of Guiding Stars,

Nation's First Storewide "Star" Nutrition Rating System

SCARBOROUGH, Maine, Sept. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer selection of foods that offer more nutrition for the calories are outpacing selection of those that don't in many aisles of Hannaford Supermarkets -- in some cases, three to four times faster -- according to data in the year since the company launched Guiding Stars, a unique, easy-to-use storewide system created to help Hannaford shoppers make more informed nutritional choices. Out of a total of more than 25,500 rated food items throughout the store, more than one-quarter (28 percent) receive one, two or three Stars for good, better or best nutritional value.

Promising First-Year Momentum

Data from the first 12 months of Hannaford's program, compared to the same time period one year prior to Guiding Stars' launch in September 2006, reveal:

-- The greatest change was in the packaged foods section of the store --

cereals, commercial bakery (e.g., breads, rolls), canned/jarred foods

(e.g., soups, pasta sauces, fruits, vegetables), dry products (e.g.,

pasta, crackers), snack foods and beverages. Selection of packaged

foods with one, two or three Stars grew steadily at 2 1/2 times the

rate of those without Stars.

-- Selection of fattier meat declined -- Starred ground beef (90% or more

fat-free) selection increased by 7 percent, while ground beef without

Stars dropped by 5 percent. Starred chicken grew at 5 percent, while

chicken without Stars decreased by 3 percent. Movement of all meats

and poultry with Stars grew at more than 2 1/2 times the rate of those

with no Stars.

-- Selection of whole milk (no Stars) dropped by 4 percent, while that of

fat-free milk (three Stars) rose 1 percent.

-- Selection of breakfast cereals
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