Whole Foods Launches Program to Rank Produce and Flowers
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Whole Foods Market®(AUSTIN, Texas) — To help its customers become more environmentally responsible, Whole Foods is rolling out a new program Wednesday that ranks its fruits, vegetables and flowers based on their environmental impact.
The rating system, called “Responsibly Grown,” is split into three tiers: “good,” “better” or “best.” It takes into account the use of pesticides, how farm workers are treated, and what practices are being used to conserve water and reduce waste, among other things.
“After three years of research and planning, Responsibly Grown is the result of our collaboration with suppliers, scientists and issue experts to continue our strong commitment to organic, while embracing additional important topics and growing practices in agriculture today,” Matt Rogers, the global produce coordinator at Whole Foods Market, said in a statement Wednesday. “We are excited to broaden the conversation to recognize additional growing practices and drive more transparency in the industry.”
Shoppers can find the rankings at stores nationwide Wednesday next to where prices are listed.
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