Employee Benefits Venture to Promote Healthy Eating in the U.S.

Edenred, a provider of employee benefits solutions, and SavingStar, a fully digital grocery savings service in the U.S., have launched a joint venture designed to promote healthy eating among corporate employees.

Called NutriSavings, the solution will provide employees with information about the nutritional quality of their grocery purchases along with incentives such as digital eCoupons for healthier products. The goal of the program is to help consumers make more informed buying decisions in supermarket aisles while giving them increased purchasing power, while at the same time helping companies reduce their healthcare-related expenses.

“We have created an innovative solution in the fast growing market for health and wellness solutions that encourages employees to consume a more balanced diet and contributes to efforts to reduce healthcare spending on chronic illnesses,” noted Gérard Bridi, Edenred USA managing director.

Employees who join the NutriSavings program set objectives with their companies to improve the nutritional quality of their shopping baskets as measured by a score that can be consulted online via computer or smartphone. In addition to incentives from employers for meeting these objectives, program participants will receive eCoupon savings via SavingStar on nutritionally balanced products. Select grocery retailers will partner with NutriSavings and its independent experts to help employees monitor, analyze and improve their household nutrition consumption. Consumers will also receive access to educational videos and downloadable content on the benefits of healthy eating.

Redeemable at over 25,000 stores, SavingStar’s offers are linked to shoppers’ grocery and drug store loyalty cards and are designed to provide a more convenient and eco-friendly way to save on groceries than paper coupons. SavingStar automatically adds the value of each offer redeemed into users’ SavingStar accounts, enabling them to pick their payout option -- cash back, gift card or charity donation.

Waltham, Mass.-based SavingStar also powers white-labeled grocery savings services, including Upromise and Fuel Rewards Network.