Wild Oats Offers Homeopathic Alternatives in Face of Flu Shot Shortage

BOULDER, Colo. - With the U.S. facing a flu vaccine shortage this year, Wild Oats Markets is taking steps to raise consumer awareness about natural, homeopathic alternatives to immunization that can fight flu symptoms during the flu season.

Although Wild Oats doesn’t offer flu shots, it does offer a myriad of homeopathics that relieve flu symptoms. Homeopathic remedies such as Oscillococcinum, Sinusalia, Roxalia, Flu Relief, and Coldcalm are some of products available at Wild Oats to help relieve cold and flu symptoms, including sinus pain, sore throat, sneezing, runny nose and congestion as well as fever, chills and body aches and pains.

"We are getting information out [to consumers] through the media as well as through our in-store flyer," Kristi Estes, Wild Oats spokeswoman told Progressive Grocer. "We’ll also do seminars and educational programs on a store-by-store basis. If stores have the ability to conduct a class -- based on room availability, relationships with instructors, or comfort level with the Holistic Health Manager -- then we encourage them to do so."

The products are merchandised together as an Immune Support Center, Estes said. "Since we cannot prescribe or diagnose nor can we promise people will not get the flu, we are offering ways to boost the immune system and products to help alleviate symptoms if they do catch something."

To help spread the word through the media, Wild Oats also created a Flu Immunity Kit aimed at reporters who cannot make it into the store who want to see the products we have available. The kit includes a sampling of the products from the grocer’s Immune Support Center.

- Joseph Tarnowski
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