Wegmans Safeguards Against High-Risk Supplements
Setting an example for other retailers, Wegmans Food Markets has collaborated with global public-health organization NSF International to launch the Verified with Confidence program for all dietary supplements, herbals, probiotics and CBD-containing products sold at the grocer’s 106 stores. This is one of the first retailer quality assurance programs in the industry that addresses high-risk products and the importance of quality ingredients.
While many shoppers assume that the supplements they purchase are high quality, free from contaminants and accurately labeled, past research has indicated that many products contain either prohibited or unlisted ingredients.
“We have been concerned about inconsistent requirements in testing standards in the supplement industry,” said Karen Shadders, Wegmans’ VP of health and well-being. “Our Verified with Confidence program allows us to ensure the products on our shelves contain the ingredients stated on the bottle.”
Product and ingredient certification ensures an extra layer of quality for supplements, helping consumers identify safe products. To accomplish this, NSF is providing auditing services, product testing, label review accuracy and claims substantiation as part of the Verified with Confidence program. The organization will incorporate the most current ANSI-accredited Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) audit standards – NSF/ANSI 455-2 for Dietary Supplements and NSF/ANSI 455-3 for Cosmetics/Personal Care Products. These new GMP audit standards are built on the current regulations detailed in 21 CFR 111 and 117, and came as a result of consensus among retailers, suppliers and other stakeholders.
“We worked with NSF to launch this program, knowing this is the right thing to do for our customers,” said Betsy Crater, nonfood quality assurance manager at Wegmans. “We are excited to be a leader in this initiative and help inspire others in the industry to get on board as well.”
“Wegmans is demonstrating true leadership with its Verified with Confidence program,” said David Trosin, managing director of health sciences certification at Alexandria, Va.-based NSF. “Consumers want to know what’s in the products they buy, and more and more they are expecting retailers to play an active role in quality assurance and product safety. We envision a future when most major retailers will require brands to show proof of product quality in some form or another, whether through independent assurance of GMP compliance, independent laboratory testing of products, or both.”
NSF is an independent organization that facilitates standards development, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment. NSF began certifying dietary supplement manufacturers and personal care product manufacturers according to the new NSF/ANSI 455 GMP standards in January 2021.
Family-owned Wegmans operates stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts and North Carolina. The Rochester, N.Y.-based company is No. 35 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top retailers of food and consumables in North America.
