Earth Fare and Merryfield gamify nutrition labels in-store

Last week, Earth Fare and Merryfield announced a new collaboration with the introduction of Merryfield’s Micro-Moments program, “a dynamic blend of fast facts, pop quizzes, quick polls and engaging videos,” where consumers can scan products with the Merryfield Learn & Earn in-aisle QR code to create shopping incentives through gamification. 

Merryfield partners with better-for-you brands in its app, including Stonyfield Organic, Applegate, Health-Ade, Primal Kitchen and Vital Farms, among others, along with thousands of other items that are carried in retail.

To promote the partnership in-store, Earth Fare announced a $250 Earth Fare gift card for shoppers every Wednesday between Feb. 14 and April who scan at least one Learn & Earn QR code.

The partnership incentivizes consumers to make “informed choices about better-for-you brands,” according to a joint release, where they can learn more information about the ingredients in participating brands’ products.

“Through the seamless integration of education and gamification, our goal is to empower consumers, making the process of choosing the products they select for their families not only informed but also enjoyable,” Sandrine Mangia Park, Merryfield’s CMO expressed in a statement.

“We believe that learning about the products you purchase should be as enjoyable as the shopping experience itself. Micro-Moments are designed to make every trip to Earth Fare not just about filling your cart but also about engaging with the stories behind the products you choose,” Laure Akier, Earth Fare’s marketing director, said in a statement.

Last year, Earth Fare announced its partnership with Merryfield’s Learn & Earn program, where consumers scan their receipts, paper or digital, to earn at least 5% back in rewards on brands that are included in the app. 

In response to high grocery prices and creating more transparency around labeling, Merryfield was co-founded by entertainer and the company’s chief creative officer, Zooey Deschanel.

To participate in the app, brands’ ingredient lists must adhere to Merryfield’s Watch List, which bans hundreds of ingredients including artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, certain sweeteners like aspartame and antibiotics.

Similarly, Earth Fare’s Boot List for brands features a comprehensive list of banned ingredients and materials from its stores, from artificial fats, flavors, preservatives and sweeteners to lead soldered cans.

Gamified nutrition labels may improve nutritional quality in basket

With inflation tightening consumers’ wallets, retailers are challenged with increasing foot traffic in-store. Between in-store promotions and gamified nutrition labels, retailers have an opportunity to push value and convenience, while creating an enhanced retail experience for consumers.

Further, a 2023 study exploring the relationship between gamified nutrition labels and budget found that consumers with a smaller budget increased the nutritional quality of their shopping basket by collecting more tokens through the gamified aspect of the labels; the study concluded that while further research is needed, “gamifying nutrition labels may be an effective strategy to improve the nutritional quality of food choices in online grocery stores.”