We enable responsible and informed purchasing decisions by proactively engaging with consumers with complete transparency.
Our packaging manuals include the disclosure of the characteristics of Private Brand products on the labelling. Complete nutrition tables are presented, with values per 100 grams and per portion. We also disclose, where possible, more intuitive information on the front of the packaging.
In 2021 Pingo Doce and Biedronka adopted the Nutri-Score label, a more intuitive symbol placed on the front of packaging indicating the nutritional quality of pre-packaged foods, with a nutritional classification ranging from ‘A’ (high nutritional quality) to ‘E’ (products that should be consumed less frequently), and a corresponding colour code. In 2023, Biedronka extended Nutri-Score to 152 products, bringing the total number of items classified according to this system for assessing the nutritional profile of products to 405. At the end of the year, products with this symbol totalled 591 at Pingo Doce and 86 at Recheio.
In 2022, in Poland, Biedronka pioneered the launch of a physical activity calorie equivalent simulator, “Pace – Physical Activity Equivalent”, displayed on its private brand products and aimed at consumers seeking a more active lifestyle.
We use the “GMO-free” icon for plant-based products consisting mainly of maize and/or soy, two ingredients that are prone to being genetically modified. In 2023, this symbol was applied to 100% of the 29 eligible products in Poland. Of the 44 eligible products in Portugal, this symbol was applied to 13 products (around 30%).
Icons are used on Private Brand products in Portugal and Poland to discourage the consumption of alcohol by pregnant women, encourage responsible driving, and to indicate the calorie count of the products.
We place icons on products rich in Omega-3 and on gluten-free and lactose-free products in Portugal and in Poland. In Portugal, sugar-free and fat-free products, as well as those low in fat or salt also carry the respective icons. At Pingo Doce, the packaging offers cooking advice and suggestions for vegetable or fruit side dishes. In Poland, the nutrition table indicates fibre content. In Colombia we adapted nutrition information on the back of the packaging, which is now broken down per portion and per 100 g or 100 ml of product, and we give indications on recommended daily ingredients, including calories, fat, sodium, sugar and protein. Biedronka also implemented the “1 of Your 5 Per Day” label, to indicate the recommended daily consumption of fruit and vegetables, and the “A Handful of Dried Fruit” label.
We use specific icons based on our own criteria and in accordance with Polish law. Biedronka released 13 references, the majority being Go Vege products.
We follow different communication strategies with our customers to make them aware of healthy eating options and sustainable choices.
For over ten years, product development and communication at Pingo Doce has been following the principles of the Mediterranean Diet, classified as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Since 2020, and following the “Dieta Mediterrânica à Portuguesa” (Mediterranean diet, Portuguese Style) conference organised by the Group, Pingo Doce has embraced a new brand – Juliana – as an aggregator of food supply related to the Mediterranean diet.
The Pingo Doce bi-monthly magazine Sabe Bem (Tastes Good), with an average print run of 150,000 copies, is another major channel for sharing this diet and includes recipes that encourage the reuse of leftovers. Biedronka publishes quarterly magazine Czas Na… (Time For…), focused on nutrition and healthier lifestyles, with recipes and an average print run of 200,000 copies. It also publishes the magazine Dada, dedicated to babies and children.
In 2019, 2020 and 2021 Pingo Doce published a cookbook based on the principles of the Mediterranean diet, printing hundreds of thousands of copies. In 2022 Biedronka launched Czas na Małych Kucharzy (Time for Little Chefs), a book about family meals which saw 300,000 copies sold.
In 2023, Biedronka launched the Gang Mocniaków loyalty and educational campaign, an initiative that aims to make younger generations aware of the “superpowers” of food and healthy eating.
Cooking tips and suggestions for vegetable or fruit side dishes are also posted on the Companies’ websites and social media pages. Recipes that encourage the reuse of leftover food are also shared.
We work together with various entities on projects that promote healthy eating habits.
Biedronka works with the Polish National Food and Nutrition Institute to understand the dietary needs of Polish people, while at the same time raising awareness among consumers of the importance of eating healthy.
Biedronka works in partnership with the Polish Coeliac Society to monitor the launch of gluten-free products, including the production process to guarantee the absence of cross-contamination, and the certification of the final product.
Biedronka published the report “Eating habits in Poland: what has changed in the past 25 years?”, a study led by IPSOS and conducted in collaboration with the Polish National Institute of Public Health. The goal was to understand what dietary standards are being followed by the Polish people, what changes in diet have occurred in recent years, and how Biedronka has encouraged changes in consumption habits.
As part of this partnership, the “Healthy Choice” symbol appears on cold meat products, making it easier to identify Pingo Doce products with a low fat and salt content. This contributes to a more balanced diet that is beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Pingo Doce works with the Portuguese Coeliac Association to identify gluten-free Private Brand products, a list of which is published on Pingo Doce’s website.
Since 2012, Biedronka has collaborated with the Institute of Mother and Child to develop products aimed at children, introducing on a public platform all the products that have received a positive assessment from the organisation regarding their safety. Since 2020, the partnership has included the magazine Dada & Rodzina (Dada and the Family), with information on child and maternal nutrition. Dada is Biedronka’s exclusive baby products brand.
Ara has been part of the work committees of the Colombian Institute of Technical Standards (ICONTEC) since 2017, which discuss and create quality and food safety standards applicable to all product categories.
After creating the “Menos Sal Portugal” (Less Salt Portugal) programme in 2019, with the purpose of raising awareness about the harmful effects of excessive salt intake, the partnership between Pingo Doce and CUF (a Portuguese business group specialising in healthcare) led to implementation of the “A Saúde Alimenta-se” (Health is Nurtured) programme in 2021. The goal is to provide insight into the properties of fruits and vegetables and the role they play in a diverse and balanced diet.
Biedronka works with the Polish National Food and Nutrition Institute to understand the dietary needs of Polish people, while at the same time raising awareness among consumers of the importance of eating healthy.
Biedronka published the report “Eating habits in Poland: what has changed in the past 25 years?”, a study led by IPSOS and conducted in collaboration with the Polish National Institute of Public Health. The goal was to understand what dietary standards are being followed by the Polish people, what changes in diet have occurred in recent years, and how Biedronka has encouraged changes in consumption habits.
Pingo Doce works with the Portuguese Coeliac Association to identify gluten-free Private Brand products, a list of which is published on Pingo Doce’s website.
Ara has been part of the work committees of the Colombian Institute of Technical Standards (ICONTEC) since 2017, which discuss and create quality and food safety standards applicable to all product categories.
Biedronka works in partnership with the Polish Coeliac Society to monitor the launch of gluten-free products, including the production process to guarantee the absence of cross-contamination, and the certification of the final product.
As part of this partnership, the “Healthy Choice” symbol appears on cold meat products, making it easier to identify Pingo Doce products with a low fat and salt content. This contributes to a more balanced diet that is beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Since 2012, Biedronka has collaborated with the Institute of Mother and Child to develop products aimed at children, introducing on a public platform all the products that have received a positive assessment from the organisation regarding their safety. Since 2020, the partnership has included the magazine Dada & Rodzina (Dada and the Family), with information on child and maternal nutrition. Dada is Biedronka’s exclusive baby products brand.
After creating the “Menos Sal Portugal” (Less Salt Portugal) programme in 2019, with the purpose of raising awareness about the harmful effects of excessive salt intake, the partnership between Pingo Doce and CUF (a Portuguese business group specialising in healthcare) led to implementation of the “A Saúde Alimenta-se” (Health is Nurtured) programme in 2021. The goal is to provide insight into the properties of fruits and vegetables and the role they play in a diverse and balanced diet.