Health-conscious shopping has evolved from a niche pursuit into a cultural shift that is reshaping the retail industry. With food now widely accepted as a driver of well-being, retailers are being called to play a new role in their customers’ health decisions. In this context, dacadoo highlights how the “food as medicine” approach can help retailers improve loyalty, achieve brand differentiation and unlock long-term growth.
Why retailers need to embrace food as medicine
Although the link between food and health has long been recognised, its significance in consumer choices has risen sharply.
Even with inflation, spending on wellness remains steady, with Accenture reporting that 80% of consumers expect to maintain or increase wellness expenditure. Deloitte research adds that 84% of shoppers prioritise health in fresh food purchases, and 55% are willing to pay extra for healthier items.
This resilience makes food and wellness a powerful hedge against economic uncertainty and positions “food as medicine” as more than a passing trend—it is a recession-proof strategy.
Building loyalty and differentiation
Retailers cannot rely on merely stocking healthier options. With many shoppers still unclear on what constitutes a nutritious choice, there is an opportunity to step in as a trusted guide.
Providing clear labelling, reliable information and personalised support can transform a retailer into a health partner rather than just a grocer.
This creates enduring loyalty that goes beyond pricing, while offering differentiation in a highly competitive market.
Turning strategy into action
To deliver food as medicine effectively, retailers can implement clearer nutritional guidance, digital engagement based on loyalty data, gamified challenges, and partnerships with insurers or healthcare providers.
These approaches create new opportunities for customer engagement and expand retail ecosystems.
How dacadoo enables healthier growth
Digital tools are central to scaling this strategy. dacadoo’s Digital Health Engagement Platform (DHEP) combines behavioural science, gamification and coaching to encourage healthier habits, while its Grocery Basket Score (GBS™) evaluates purchases to provide a simple, actionable health score.
By integrating these tools with loyalty programmes, retailers can position themselves as trusted wellness partners, boosting both customer well-being and long-term profitability.
Read the full blog from dacadoo here.
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