OTTAWA, ON – CPMA has revealed Wal-Mart Canada will be joining it as the first major retailer partner for its new Half Your Plate healthy eating campaign. According to a press release, the Half Your Plate campaign was a big hit on social media when it launched this past summer and is now moving into its next phase where it will be incorporated onto produce packaging and into retail locations across Canada. CPMA shared its excitement to have Wal-Mart join this effort.
“Rather than having people count servings or worry about serving size, our messaging is that at every meal, make half your plate fruit and vegetables. By the end of the day, you’ll have your recommended number of servings,” said Ron Lemaire, President, CPMA. “That also translates when you’re at the grocery store. Half your cart should be fruit and veggies, and having retailers promote the campaign re-emphasizes the importance of making healthier choices at the store.”
“We are excited to be the first major retailer to promote Half Your Plate in our stores and flyers,” agreed Sam Silvestro, Senior Director, Fresh Foods, Wal-Mart Canada. “We believe that healthy eating starts with getting enough servings of fruits and vegetables every day, and Half Your Plate provides an easy message for consumers to understand and keep in mind when doing their grocery shopping.”
The Half Your Plate campaign seeks to address an important nutritional deficit in Canada. The average Canadian only consumes 3.5-4.5 servings of produce each day, significantly less than Canada’s Food Guide's recommendation of 7-10 servings per day (depending on gender).
By encouraging consumers to break eating down and look at nutrition one meal at a time, analyzing the composition of their plate rather than specific servings, Half Your Plate offers a simple, consistent way to navigate the often conflicting nutritional information consumers may encounter in everyday life.
“It can be a bit confusing for some consumers to know what makes up a healthy meal,” Lemaire explained. “What we hear most from consumers is that they’re struggling with what a serving is in a lot of instances and are looking for ways to make healthy choices fast, easy and affordable.”
The success of this program would mean a healthier population as well as vastly expanded sales totals for growers and retailers. Now Wal-Mart Canada will be bringing its immense market share and influence to bear in making it a reality.
Congratulations on successfully coming together for this important cause, CPMA and Wal-Mart Canada!
