Improving the nutritional profile

Excessive consumption of salt (over 5g/day for an adult) causes higher risks of developing hypertension and heart disease.

Reduction of the salt content in private-label products is a priority for Casino Group and it has been working towards this goal for several years using various levers.

Developing product ranges with no added salt or with low salt content : Product ranges with a reduced salt content have been developed, especially with categories of ham and salted aperitif ranges (cashew nuts, peanuts, etc.).

Since 2019, the Casino private label has launched several innovations including two shrimp and two oyster products with 25% less salt (compared to equivalent products on the market).

Reworking of products to reduce their salt content :

Savoury Groceries : Casino Group’s banners have worked to reduce the amount of salt added to their canned vegetable products. This work has made it possible to improve 71 products across the Group’s three banners, leading to a saving of more than 7.5 tons of salt per year. In addition, the salt content of Casino Délices’ Ricotta Basil Tomato Sauce has been reduced by over 55%.

Bread : The bread sold in the bakeries of our Casino banners has followed the guidelines of the National Nutrition and Health Programme since 2010. The salt levels used are 18g per kilogram of flour.

Excessive consumption of sugar may cause excess weight, obesity, diabetes and encourage heart disease. The Group’s banners are developing and reworking food products in order to reduce their sugar content.

Development of products with no added sugar or with low sugar content : our brands offer products low in sugar or no added sugar.

Reworking of products to reduce their sugar content : in 2019, the range of Doodingues sweets was reworked to feature candies with 30% less sugar and no added sweeteners.

Excessive consumption of foods rich in fat, and fatty acids in particular, causes higher risks of developing heart disease and higher blood cholesterol levels.

To contribute to the reduction of fat intake, the Group’s banners offer products that are low in fat or reworked to reduce the content of saturated fatty acids.

Substituting oils rich in saturated fatty acids for oils with a better nutritional profile : for example, the recipe for Casino and Monoprix brand profiteroles was reworked: the saturated fatty acid content was reduced by 81% by replacing coconut oil with sunflower oil. Its Nutri-Score was improved from D to C. The Franprix brand speculoos tiramisu was reworked with a reduction in fatty acid content of more than 50%.

Reduction in fat content : the Group also offers low-fat products such as crisps.

Fibre contributes to the prevention of obesity, diabetes and cholesterol. The dietary fibre intake in the French population is currently insufficient.

In order to contribute to the intake of dietary fibre, the Group’s banners offer ranges of whole wheat-based products.

Whole wheat (28%) was also integrated into the Doodingues brand of cereals for children.

Franprix has developed aperitif products containing 75% vegetables and rich in fibre.

Going beyond the current regulations, Casino Group is committed to banning a certain number of substances, said to be controversial, due to societal debates on their potential or supposed impacts on health or the environment.

In France, the Group benefits from a base of common commitments for its private-label food products which aims at banning or reducing the use of authorised but controversial additives, ingredients or other substances. This base encompasses today 85 substances that the Group has already banned, or wishes to, from its product ranges. These commitments will evolve in response to scientific data, societal expectations and also market developments.

Additives

For many years, the Group’s policy has been to limit as much as possible the presence of additives in its private-label products. When, for technological or health reasons, it is not possible to avoid additives, the quantity must be kept to a minimum for the desired effect.

Since 2019, titanium dioxide is no longer used in the Group’s private-label food products, well before its legal ban. (Decree from 17th April 2019 regarding the suspension of all sales of goods containing the E171 titanium dioxide additive, put into effect on 1st January 2020).

BHA and BHT are synthetic antioxidants used as food preservatives. These substances are considered  to be harmful to  human health as well as presenting risks of cancer and hormonal disruption. These two preservatives were banned from private-label products and, since 2019, no product contains these additives.

Ingredients

Since 2019, there is no glucose-fructose syrup in the private-label food products.

The Group does not allow ionised ingredients in its private-label food products.

Other

From 1997, the Group committed to ensuring that its private-label products marketed by its banners in France (Casino, Monoprix, Franprix) are free from Genetically Modified Organisms.