Safeway offers healthy-worker incentives

PLEASANTON, Calif. —Safeway is offering employees discounts on their health insurance if they take part in a service that tracks the nutritional value of the food they buy, as well as other health-related issues.

Safeway said the initiative to encourage workers to stay healthy would be similar to FoodFlex, an online program launched in late 2007 as part of its customer loyalty program. FoodFlex is a comprehensive plan that tracks the food participants purchase at Safeway whenever they use their loyalty card and provides analysis about the food and recommendations for healthier products.

Enrollees who opt into the program provide details on family members, lifestyle habits and areas of concern regarding such health conditions as high blood pressure. The service analyzes shopper purchases based on USDA recommendations and compares different brands, and can make a recommendation for a product with a lower fat or sodium content.

Safeway chief executive officer Steve Burd said the chain is hoping to have a similar program in place for employees by 2009 with the potential for lower insurance premiums as an incentive to participate.

“If someone wants to opt in to demonstrate a nutritious lifestyle, I think we’ll be the first company to grant premium reductions for that,” Burd said. “And I think other companies will follow.”

And in its latest green initiative, Safeway said it’s converting its entire fleet of delivery trucks to biodiesel.

Burd released details on the initiative at a press conference at its Dublin, Calif., store on Jan. 18. The store also happens to be powered entirely by solar energy.

The company currently operates more than 1,000 big rig delivery trucks and estimated converting to biodiesel will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 75 million pounds each year, the equivalent of taking 7,500 passenger vehicles off the road.