SPAR Italy’s responsible retailing initiative involves nutritionists from the Department of Food Science and Pharmaceuticals of the University of Parma and was started in 2018, following the publication of government objectives for improving nutritional features of food products. The initiative first focused on analysing, assessing, and improving the dietary characteristics of products from the DESPAR and DESPAR Scelta Verde Bio,Logico brands.
These two product lines were chosen because they provide daily essentials at a low price point, so improving their nutritional profile could help SPAR customers make more conscious food choices every day.
In 2019, DESPAR expanding the scope of its initiative to additional product categories. This broader analysis had a double objective: to assess DESPAR’s positioning compared to similar products on the market and to consider reformulating product recipes to improve their nutritional characteristics. To date, more than 300 products have been analysed across nine product categories.
Lucio Fochesato, General Manager of DESPAR Italia, said, “We believe that healthy nutrition is based on conscious shopping choices, and this is exactly what we want to offer our customers: more nutritionally balanced products and information, to help them follow a balanced diet.”
“Our initiative not only enhances the DESPAR brand, but it also helps people make conscious eating choices, so they can have a lifestyle that is both healthy and respectful of the environment”, Lucio Fochesato added.
At the beginning of November, SPAR Italy also launched a dedicated website to communicate about the product reformulation initiative ‘Obiettivo Benessere’.
Source: SPAR Italy
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About SPAR Italy
SPAR International first granted a licence for the operation of the SPAR Brand to SPAR Italy in 1959. The first store opened in the latter part of 1960 and with it, SPAR became the first partnership of retailers and wholesalers to operate in Italy. SPAR Italy, known locally as DESPAR Italia, licenses regional partners, all of whom work together to grow the brand across the country.
The DESPAR Partners operate stores under three formats: DESPAR neighbourhood Supermarkets, EUROSPAR Supermarkets and INTERSPAR Hypermarkets. Many of the larger format stores are company-owned, reflecting the scale of investment required. While the majority of the company’s turnover is acquired through these larger format stores, the independently owned neighbourhood supermarkets remain a key part of the business.
