Sponsored By

Raley’s takes aim at added sugar in cereal

New placement strategy puts healthier items higher on shelves

Russell Redman

November 8, 2018

2 Min Read
Supermarket News logo in a gray background | Supermarket News

Raley’s is turning the spotlight on better-for-you cereals — in the aisle.

Looking at the amount of added sugar versus calorie count and serving size, the West Sacramento, Calif.-based grocer is revamping the layout of the cold cereal section to give prime shelf placement to products with less added sugar.

Cereals with 25% or more of total calories from added sugar, based on a standard one-cup serving of cereal, will now be moved to the bottom shelf, Raley’s said Wednesday.

“Our team has thoughtfully developed a system to evaluate added sugar in cold cereals,” President and CEO Keith Knopf said in a statement. “We believe that, between education and product placement, we can help more customers identify and avoid added sugar.”

Raley’s said that, working with Label Insight, it developed a sugar filter equation to guide product placement on shelf. The formula uses the Nutrition Facts Label and one-cup serving size to assess total calories in relation to total added sugars.

Raleys_cereal_shelf_tags.png

Cold cereals identified as “Higher in Added Sugar” get blue labels on shelves while those found to be “Lower in Added Sugar” receive gold labels. The color-coded system appears on shelf tags and on “Trying to Cut Back on Sugar?” blade signs that Raley’s has affixed along the cereal aisle shelves to communicate the placement change to customers and raise awareness about added sugars in food.

Related:Raley’s launches its own line of meal kits

Citing research from Nielsen, Raley’s reported that 22% of households are restricting sugar intake, and 52% are actively trying to avoid artificial sweeteners.

“Studies have shown that added sugars may contribute to a diet that is high in calories but low in essential nutrients,” according to Yvette Waters, nutrition strategist and brand influencer at Raley’s. “As the resident nutrition expert, I’m passionate about helping our customers find better-for-you options.”

In addition, Raley’s is providing customers with more transparency on added sugar in foods through animated videos and content marketing at Raleys.com/addedsugar. Raley’s owner Mike Teel also recently launched “Minute with Mike Teel,” a video series focusing on the amount of added sugar in food products and the need for change in the industry.

Raley’s noted that it’s analyzing calories from added sugar in all processed foods and plans to expand to its efforts in cereal to more categories.

“We know that the changes in Raley’s stores can positively influence our customers’ choices,” Knopf added.

In September, Raley’s eliminated conventional candy from the checkout lanes, reducing the overall sugar offerings by 25%. A year earlier, the supermarket chain also launched the Raley’s Shelf Guide, a shelf tag program designed to provide shoppers with more label transparency on packaged foods as well as help them identify products that are minimally processed and nutrient-dense. And in 2015, Raley’s ended the sale of tobacco in all of its stores.

Related:Raley’s makes checkstands ‘better for you’

Overall, Raley’s operates 129 stores in California and Nevada under the Raley’s, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods, Food Source and Market 5-ONE-5 banners.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News

You May Also Like