WOONSOCKET, R.I., Feb. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Pharmacy
is the first national retail pharmacy chain to announce the removal
of partially hydrogenated oils (PHO), the primary source of
artificial trans fats in processed foods, from all its exclusive
store brands food products. The retailer now offers over 600
exclusive snack and grocery options which are free from artificial
trans fats. This comes a year and a half ahead of the Food and
Drug Administration's deadline of June
2018 for processed foods to be reformulated without
artificial trans fats, underscoring the company's ongoing
commitment to customers' health. Linked to rising rates of heart
disease in the U.S., the removal of artificial trans fats in
processed foods is expected to aid in reducing coronary heart
disease and help prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every
year. With its purpose of helping people on their path to better
health, CVS Pharmacy continues to ensure its own store brands
demonstrate quality and innovation that match or exceed industry
standards, while offering the best possible value.
"We applaud CVS Pharmacy for working proactively to remove
artificial trans fats from its store brands products well in
advance of the federal deadline," said Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, Chief Medical Officer for
Prevention at the American Heart Association. "The early removal of
trans fats in all CVS Pharmacy store brands products will help to
improve overall heart health and prevent heart disease for many
Americans."
"At CVS Pharmacy we are dedicated to helping our customers lead
healthier lives, and moved quickly to ensure all of our snack and
grocery store brands products are free from artificial trans fats,"
said Judy Sansone, senior vice
president front store business & chief merchant, CVS Health.
"Our commitment to producing high quality products reinforces that
CVS Pharmacy is a leading health destination."
Effective since the start of January, all snack and grocery
store brands products developed by CVS Pharmacy and shipping to
distribution centers are free from artificial trans fats. The early
removal of artificial trans fats from all store brands products
follows a significant expansion of healthy foods to stores
nationwide throughout 2016. This initiative is a critical step as
the company continues to evolve into a premier health destination,
providing millions of customers healthier food options that are
convenient, affordable and innovative. Other initiatives
include:
- The nationwide roll-out of the exclusive store brand CVS
Health, a flagship line of more than 2,500 health and wellness
products focused on effective and affordable care as well as
unexpected innovations spanning 19 categories.
- Moving healthy foods towards the front of stores.
- Dedicating roughly 25 percent of front checkout space to
better-for-you snacks.
- Introducing healthy eating trend zones that showcase carefully
curated selections of paleo, raw and vegan snacks at key periods
throughout the year.
- The "Fit Choices" shelf tagging program, helping customers
easily find healthier items in stores by clearly identifying
products that fit nutritional and dietary preferences including
heart healthy, good source of protein, gluten free, sugar free,
organic and non-GMO project verified.
CVS Pharmacy is also committed to expanding its exclusive Gold
Emblem abound™ snack and grocery line to provide customers with
additional wholesome, great-tasting products that are free from
artificial preservatives and flavors. The line offers a variety of
products that are gluten-free, USDA organic, non-GMO project
verified, heart healthy, low sodium, high in protein, a good source
of fiber or sugar-free.
To find a nearby CVS Pharmacy location, please visit
CVS.com/stores. CVS Pharmacy stands behind all of its store brand
products, with a 100 percent money back satisfaction guarantee.
About CVS Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), is
America's leading retail pharmacy with over 9,700 locations. It is
the first national pharmacy to end the sale of tobacco and the
first pharmacy in the nation to receive the Community Pharmacy
accreditation from URAC, the leading health care accreditation
organization that establishes quality standards for the health care
industry. CVS Pharmacy is reinventing pharmacy to help people on
their path to better health by providing the most accessible and
personalized expertise, both in its stores and online at CVS.com.
General information about CVS Pharmacy and CVS Health is available
at www.cvshealth.com.
CONTACT: Stephanie Cunha,
401-770-9354, stephanie.cunha@cvscaremark.com
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SOURCE CVS Pharmacy