The holidays are over, but for many, the evidence of the festivities still sits on their waistlines or in the number on the scale. So it’s little surprise that eating healthier and getting into shape are consumers’ top New Year’s resolutions year after year, according to market research firm Nielsen. Sales Advisors can help consumers reach their goals by pointing out how products they’re featuring in in-store events can make healthy eating easy and delicious.
When choosing the key selling points to emphasize to shoppers, Sales Advisors should pay close attention to the nutritional information on the product, as well as any special labels that may appear on the packaging. Many shoppers will be drawn to items that are low in calories, fat, sugar, cholesterol and/or salt, and high in fiber or protein. As a general guide, Sale Advisors can point out that foods with less than 5 percent of the daily value of a nutrient (such as fat or sodium) are considered low in that nutrient, while those with more than 20 percent are considered high.
Sales Advisors can also offer healthy recipes that incorporate the products they are sampling. For example, they could suggest shoppers prepare the fish they are sampling in a lemon-garlic marinade (low-fat, low-calorie) and serve with a brown rice and steamed vegetables.
Healthier recipe suggestions can also help shoppers find new ways to incorporate less-healthy favorites into their new eating pattern. For example, breaded chicken breasts can be topped with low-sodium tomato sauce and served over shredded zucchini instead of pasta. Or tacos could be made with lean ground turkey instead of beef and/or served in lettuce wraps instead of fried tortillas.
“Think of ways to continually give shoppers the unexpected,” suggests Nicole LeMaire, Vice President for Interactions. “Consumers may not seek out new products, but if it’s presented to them in a new and exciting way, they often come to love it.”