Lidl has launched a new Live Well logo, making it the first UK discounter to introduce front-of-pack health markers to its own-label products. The symbol is designed to help customers quickly identify healthier choices in store.
Unlike other retailers’ health markers, which focus solely on nutrition, Lidl’s Live Well logo goes a step further by also requiring products to align with the Planetary Health Diet – a global eating plan that supports both human and environmental health – alongside broader sustainability criteria.
Richard Bourns, Lidl GB Chief Commercial Officer, said: “As UK supermarkets we must go further if we’re serious about supporting healthier lives whilst also meeting our net-zero commitments. We must broaden our view on health and consider planetary health alongside human health, moving beyond narrow definitions and supporting the wider food system.”
He added: “We’re proud to be launching our new Live Well logo… we’ve taken time to get this right – working closely with The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) and WWF, to support customers with a clear navigation tool to identify products that support their health and the health of the planet.”
The Live Well label is set to roll out in stores nationwide over the next six months, initially appearing on more than 100 own-label products, including fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, and plant-based proteins.
The move reinforces Lidl’s earlier commitment to increase plant-based food sales by 20% by 2030. With the launch of Live Well, the discounter is now also pledging that 10% of its own-label food products will meet Live Well criteria by the end of the decade.
To qualify for the logo, products must:
- Meet evidence-based nutrition criteria approved by the BNF
- Be non-HFSS, in line with the FSA’s nutrient profiling model
- Carry green traffic light labels for fats, sugar, and salt
- Be high in or a source of fibre
- Hold at least one authorised health claim
In addition, products must meet sustainability standards, such as LEAF certification, sourcing of critical raw materials from sustainable origins, and, where possible, 100% recyclable packaging.
The launch follows research commissioned by Lidl and the Planetary Alliance which found that while over four in five people consider healthy eating important, more than three quarters said they need clearer guidance to identify healthy products.
Sophie Bauer, Head of Food Transformation at WWF, said: “Helping shoppers make choices that are good for them and good for the planet is vital for shifting our food system in the right direction. The new Lidl Live Well label is a welcome step in turning ambition into action and clearly communicating what healthier, more sustainable eating can look like in practice.”
Elaine Hindal, Chief Executive at the British Nutrition Foundation, said:“The British Nutrition Foundation works with a range of partners to promote health and wellbeing and help prevent diet-related ill health through evidence-based nutrition science. Making the healthy choice the easiest choice is critical to a healthier, more sustainable food environment, and we are proud to work with Lidl towards this goal. With over 980 Lidl stores across the UK, this project is an excellent example of a collaboration that can deliver genuine impact towards the Government’s new food strategy, and do so at pace and at scale.”
