Albert Heijn to place healthier food options at checkout counters in new trial

Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn has announced a pilot in which healthier food options will be placed at checkout areas to encourage shoppers to make healthier choices. 

Fruit and veg instead of sweets at Albert Heijn checkout

In the 2024 Questionmark ranking, Albert Heijn was ranked among the least healthy supermarkets in the Netherlands. On a mission to change this, the chain has announced it is taking steps to make choosing a healthy diet easier for consumers. 

Part of this is a trial that has already been launched, where a different layout of the checkout area is tested, the idea being that the common presence of sweets and chocolates at checkout tempts customers into unhealthy choices. In 30 stores across the country, three healthier options will be placed at checkout. 

One will include foods that fall into the Wheel of Five (Schijf van Vijf), an official information model developed by the government that provides guidelines on five food groups that should be included in daily meals for a healthy diet - think apples instead of chocolate. A second variant will offer products with a Nutri-Score of A or B, and the third will have non-food items such as moisturiser or lip balm. 

AH to encourage healthier eating

Also part of Albert Heijn’s healthier approach is providing information in stores and on the app about the Wheel of Five, offering more promotions for healthier foods and creating more sorting options on the app based on nutritional values. 

Director of Questionmark, Charlotte Linnebank, is “delighted” with the changes that the Dutch supermarket is implementing. "For companies, an objective is the best motivator to take action. Should they achieve their objective, healthier groceries will ultimately be purchased," Linnebank told AD.