Retailer builds on long-standing commitment to make health and wellness more affordable and accessible
BENTONVILLE, Ark., 2015-10-8 — /EPR Retail News/ — Building on its commitment to making healthcare and healthier food more affordable and accessible, Walmart today outlined additional ways the company is helping its customers live healthier lives. The retailer will focus on preventive care and supporting overall well-being across its entire assortment – in stores and online – through in-store events, online education and an expanded assortment of products and services solutions.
Customers will see Walmart’s commitment come to life on Saturday, Oct. 10, when the retailer holds “America’s Biggest Health Fair.” The event will take place in more than 4,400 stores across the U.S. from noon to 4 p.m. Free blood glucose, blood pressure, vision screenings, product samples and health insurance information will be available. In addition, more than 10,000 of Walmart’s licensed pharmacists will offer immunizations in select stores. Walmart expects to set record breaking numbers during the single-day health fair with hundreds of thousands of screenings and immunizations projected.
“There is one thing we can’t put a price on and that’s the health of our customers. We realize we play an important role in making healthcare available to millions and helping millions put healthy meals on the table. This is a responsibility we take seriously,” said Michelle Gloeckler, executive vice president of Consumables and Health & Wellness at Walmart U.S. “From managing diabetes to running your first 5K and simply putting a healthy dinner on the table, we’re equipping our customers with solutions for total health management which spans from nutrition, fitness, preventative care and treatment.”
Walmart is the only retailer in the U.S. that operates its own Pharmacies, Vision Centers and Care Clinics, and provides a comprehensive assortment of preventative and wellness products in the following categories: grocery, electronics, sporting goods, home, apparel and consumables in stores and online. Over the past year, Walmart has added thousands of wellness products, and plans to expand in notable areas such as: durable medical equipment, specialty prescriptions and active nutrition.
“We have a long history of making healthcare more affordable and accessible for our customers,” Gloeckler added. “Our $4 prescription program changed the industry and drove down healthcare costs. Our Care Clinics and Vision Centers are creating new price positions for retail health services and giving communities expanded access to services they need to live healthier lives.”
Healthcare Begins Here
For the second year, Walmart is working with DirectHealth.com to help customers identify their health insurance needs, compare coverage options and enroll in the plan that is right for them. The customer open enrollment program, Healthcare Begins Here, will be available Oct. 15, 2015 through Jan. 31, 2016 in more than 2,400 Walmart stores, online and via phone.
New this year, DirectHealth.com is working with Jackson Hewitt to staff licensed insurance agents in approximately 250 stores. These agents will help customers navigate the more than 70,000 Health Exchange plans available to them, as well as help customers over the age of 65 enroll for Medicare.
Everything You Need to Live a Healthy Life – Under One Roof
As the nation’s largest grocer, Walmart makes healthier food accessible and affordable. Last year, customers saved more than $1.09 billion on fresh fruits and vegetables and Walmart exceeded its goal of opening 275 – 300 stores serving designated food desert areas a full year ahead of schedule. Today, Walmart offers more than 1,700 organic products, nearly 10 percent of which are organic produce items, and brings customers new, healthier options by working with national brands and innovating within its own private label assortment.
In 2011, Walmart set out to reduce the sodium, added sugar and industrially produced trans fats in its private brands, including Great Value, as well as national brands. Through 2014, the company has reduced added sodium in the foods sold in its stores by 16 percent, reduced added sugars by more than 10 percent, and now less than 6% of its products contain industrially produced transfats.
To help customers manage their health whenever and wherever they are, Walmart has also revamped its Health & Wellness page on Walmart.com to focus on solutions that highlight products across multiple categories. Examples include:
- “Boost Your Immunity” – Products to include: Oral Care, Probiotics, Vitamins, Antioxidant Foods
- “Live Well with Diabetes” – Products to include: Skincare, Supplies, Low-Carb Active Nutrition
To learn more about Healthcare Begins Here and Walmart’s assortment of affordable wellness solutions, please visit:Walmart.com/healthcare.
About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, we serve nearly 260 million customers who visit our 11,508 stores under 65 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2015 revenue of $486 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.
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