Date
2 August 2021
Sonae MC signs the European Union Code of Conduct
Sonae MC signed the European Union Code of Conduct on Responsible Business and Commercial Practices, through which it is committed to increasing the availability and accessibility of healthier and more sustainable food options for all consumers. This agreement is an important milestone for the realization of the European Union’s ‘Prado ao Prato’ Strategy (Farm to Fork Strategy).
The Code of Conduct aims to coordinate and enhance the collective role of the several operators along the value chain in the transition to a more sustainable European food system, while assessing the reach of each company's commitments.
Recognizing the importance of this EU’s Code of Conduct, Sonae MC not only adhered to it, committing to promote healthy, balanced and sustainable diets and to contribute to a food system that facilitates better nutritional choices, but, more specifically, complemented it with a set of individual commitments that are part of the company's strategy. Among these initiatives are, for example, a 12% reduction of the salt content in savoury snacks, a 10% reduction of added sugars in chocolate milks or infant breakfast cereals, by 2022, as well as the commitment to keep all private label products free from hydrogenated fats, among others.
Over the past 2 years, Continente has concluded nutritional optimization plans for more than 200 products, which translate into annual reductions of 650 tonnes of sugar, 85 tonnes of salt and 385 tonnes of saturated fat from: yogurts, cereals, biscuits and cookies, snacks, soft drinks and take-away soups, thus contributing to improve the health and lifestyle of the Portuguese. By 2022, an additional reduction, of around 4 tonnes, of the salt content in Continente soups is also planned.
“As leaders in national food retail, with more than 1,300 points of sale in the Iberian territory, more than 35,000 employees who work daily to serve more than 4 million families, consumer nutrition has always been a Sonae MC’s concern and commitment, for which we are keen to facilitate access to healthier foods. No less important for us is the promotion of balanced lifestyles and the integration of a food system that respects the environment, so this commitment is a natural and necessary step”, says Ondina Afonso, Director of Quality and Research at Sonae MC.
The Code of Conduct aims to coordinate and enhance the collective role of the several operators along the value chain in the transition to a more sustainable European food system, while assessing the reach of each company's commitments.
Recognizing the importance of this EU’s Code of Conduct, Sonae MC not only adhered to it, committing to promote healthy, balanced and sustainable diets and to contribute to a food system that facilitates better nutritional choices, but, more specifically, complemented it with a set of individual commitments that are part of the company's strategy. Among these initiatives are, for example, a 12% reduction of the salt content in savoury snacks, a 10% reduction of added sugars in chocolate milks or infant breakfast cereals, by 2022, as well as the commitment to keep all private label products free from hydrogenated fats, among others.
Over the past 2 years, Continente has concluded nutritional optimization plans for more than 200 products, which translate into annual reductions of 650 tonnes of sugar, 85 tonnes of salt and 385 tonnes of saturated fat from: yogurts, cereals, biscuits and cookies, snacks, soft drinks and take-away soups, thus contributing to improve the health and lifestyle of the Portuguese. By 2022, an additional reduction, of around 4 tonnes, of the salt content in Continente soups is also planned.
“As leaders in national food retail, with more than 1,300 points of sale in the Iberian territory, more than 35,000 employees who work daily to serve more than 4 million families, consumer nutrition has always been a Sonae MC’s concern and commitment, for which we are keen to facilitate access to healthier foods. No less important for us is the promotion of balanced lifestyles and the integration of a food system that respects the environment, so this commitment is a natural and necessary step”, says Ondina Afonso, Director of Quality and Research at Sonae MC.