UK | Waitrose has launched its new ‘plant varieties' logo on the pack, making it easier for customers to eat the recommended 30 plants weekly.
In the survey conducted by Waitrose, 87 percent said that having the number of plant varieties on labels would help them actively try to eat 30 different plants a week.
It was also highlighted that almost half (46 percent) have already tried to eat 30 different plants a week or are interested in doing so.
This logo represented the first supermarket own-label products in the UK. In January, it will appear on over 50 new products, including fresh soups, snacks, and cereal, and will be added to more products throughout the year.
Meal planning can be a dull task for shoppers, and the plant varieties logo will be an easy tool for customers to see the number of plants in products and recipes, helping them add more variety and feel inspired when it comes to mid-week meals.
Surprising inclusions such as herbs, spices, and even 70 percent dark chocolate count as plants. The new logo will help highlight the introduction of 30 different plants into the diet. This was something customers were not currently aware of, with coffee (59 percent), dark chocolate (45 percent), and spices (42 percent) all coming top of the list of products not considered plants in the survey.
“Eating 30 different plants each week is a delicious way to a healthier gut microbiome, taking advantage of all the nutritional benefits of different types of plants,” said Dr Joanne Lunn, Lead Nutritionist.
“Whether mixing more different herbs and spices into your meals, snacking on mixed nuts or adding lentils to your bolognese sauce, there are many ways to reach 30 plants. The new logo is a great way to teach customers about plants in food and how to integrate more variety into the diet.”
The guidance for 30 plants a week has been supported by experts such as ZOE and has been proven to increase gut microbiome and improve gut performance, which has vast health benefits.
“When you’re a food lover, you want to make every meal one to remember but are still conscious about making good choices,” said Maddy Wilson, Director of Own Brand, Waitrose.
“Adding the plant varieties logo to our products takes the brain power away from adding variety to your diet and eating well and brings the focus back to delicious meals - which we know is so important for our customers.”
The plant varieties logo and guidance were introduced after Waitrose committed to helping customers eat more plants and increasing the amount of fibre sold from key categories by 25 percent by 2030.
Waitrose surveyed 1,599 people in November 2024 who had shopped in Waitrose in the past three months. The products carrying the plant variety logo will also meet nutrition criteria using the UK Government's nutrient profiling model to help customers get the overall balance of their diets right.
