3 Big Walmart Changes Rolling Out Now You’ll Want to Know About
If you shop at Walmart for the prices or convenience, three major changes announced within the last month may offer another incentive—this time for your health. Recognizing that more people are prioritizing healthier lifestyles, Walmart executives say the big box store is expanding its focus beyond traditional retail to include a wider range of health-oriented products, services, and experiences.
For customers, this will mean better access to fresh food, enhanced wellness resources, and convenient care options—both in-store and online. By integrating health into the everyday shopping experience, these are the three ways Walmart is changing for the better this month.
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1. Walmart is removing dyes and other controversial ingredients from food.
On Oct. 1, Walmart announced that it will remove synthetic dyes and more than 30 other controversial ingredients from its U.S. private brand foods, including Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed, and bettergoods. These include certain preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and fat substitutes.
The change was inspired by customer surveys, which revealed that Walmart shoppers want to know what’s in their food: 62 percent said they would like more transparency about ingredients, and 54 percent said they review food ingredients on product labels.
“Our customers have told us that they want products made with simpler, more familiar ingredients — and we’ve listened. By eliminating synthetic dyes and other ingredients, we’re reinforcing our promise to deliver affordable food that families can feel good about,” says John Furner, President and CEO of Walmart.
However, a press release notes that this is part of an already-existing initiative to offer high-quality, transparent foods to its customer base: “Today, about 90 percent of Walmart U.S. food private brand products are free from synthetic dyes,” the company writes.
2. Walmart is revolutionizing its pharmacy delivery system.
Previously, the company also announced that its Same-Day Pharmacy Delivery will now include refrigerated and reconstituted medications, including GLP-1s, insulin, and pediatric amoxicillin. These represent over 30 percent of Walmart’s pharmacy sales.
“We continue to unlock new levels of convenience while also broadening access to critical medications,” said Kevin Host, senior vice president of Pharmacy at Walmart, on the company’s site. “Adding refrigerated prescriptions to our Pharmacy Delivery capabilities is the result of listening to our customers, identifying where we can create even better, seamless experiences and keeping the communities we serve at the heart of what we do.”
3. Walmart is using AI to improve consumers’ diets.
Finally, Walmart is also rolling out a new AI-powered program called Everyday Health Signals, which will analyze customers’ shopping lists and histories and offer an analysis of their nutrition. Customers who want to eat healthier can opt in to receive the data-driven insights, which will be available to any of Walmart’s 145 million weekly customers.
“By allowing customers the opportunity to make more informed choices with Walmart Everyday Health Signals, we’re creating the opportunity for widespread health impact,” said Pravene Nath, MD, group director for consumer health and data solutions at Walmart U.S., via press release. “We’re innovating with tech-enabled health solutions that equip customers with a better understanding of how small decisions in the grocery aisle can help improve their overall health.”