Toilet paper shortages and online shopping aren’t the only focus of consumers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Americans’ overall wellness is under scrutiny now more than ever, as consumers do their best to avoid the virus and stay in good health.
VMC’s Choose Wellness program launched in the fall of 2019 and couldn’t have come at a more pivotal time. This full-store wellness marketing program helps stores of any size take credit for the health and wellness products they offer by utilizing in-store signage, digital content (like social media), educational opportunities and traditional advertising. It guides a store’s customers on their wellness journey by pointing out health-driven products, providing recipes, education and more. It’s a complete turn-key program that is 100 percent free for AWG and VMC retailers to utilize.
Why Wellness?
The Choose Wellness program was originally developed by an internal AWG/VMC team in response to competition and consumers’ growing appetite for wellness. According to GMDC research, 9 in 10 consumers desire retailers to be more involved in their personal wellness. Most major retailers including Kroger, Target, Walmart, Hy-Vee and others offer a wellness program. The internal Choose Wellness team created a plug-and-play program that retailers could easily implement as their own.
Wellness is everything
If you don’t think of your store as a wellness destination, it’s time to change your mindset. A huge part of health and wellness is what we eat. Even if your store doesn’t have a specific “wellness” section, everyday items and whole foods are highly sought after as wellness essentials, including produce, meat, water, oatmeal and so much more. As an essential business stocked with the cleaners, wipes and disinfectants that Americans seek to stay healthy, grocers are a lifeline for many customers to feel safe.
Don’t forget about your health and beauty department. From toothpaste and floss, to deodorant and vitamins, consumers are enhancing their everyday routines to improve their overall wellness.
Mental health and self-care are also important aspects of wellness, which are gaining greater attention. From bath bombs and scented lotions, to an indulgent piece of chocolate or an essential oil diffuser, customers are looking for ways to take care of themselves and would prefer to find these items all in one spot. That’s where your store comes into focus.
Growing with Choose Wellness
Each month, additional Choose Wellness resources are shared with the close to 200 retailers who utilize the program. These tools include updated signage with QR codes, social media posts, printable flyers, website recipes, educational articles and so much more! As the Choose Wellness team expands the program, they hope to help retailers cultivate their wellness footprint.
To learn more about the Choose Wellness program or to sign up, message: choosewellness@awginc.com. To visit and explore the white-label Choose Wellness website for consumers, visit www.LetsChooseWellness.com.
