Own Brands
- an example of successful implementation of sustainability principles.
METRO works directly with the manufacturers while developing own brand products. The company independently forms requirements for product quality, composition, and packaging. Thus, there was made a decision to reduce sugar and salt in own brand products, and eggs from cage-free chickens were added to the assortment.
Since 2022, the company has been implementing a corporate Own Brands Sustainability Standard, which covers both food and non-food categories of goods, including fish and seafood, products containing palm oil and soy, eggs and liquid products from them, wood and paper products, disposable tableware and beauty products.
High quality requirements
Healthy nutrition lies at the core of the UN main goals: eliminating hunger, achieving food safety, ensuring sustainable agriculture and promoting healthy lifestyles.
METRO places high demands on the range and quality of products on the shelves of the stores. Today, or conscious consumers, besides health benefits and eco-friendliness of food production, the well-being of animals is also important. An increasing number of people are interested in the conditions in which the animals are grown and want to be sure that animals and birds are treated humanely enough.
Product Quality Control Policy
METRO has developed a Policy that regulates the procurement of eggs from cage-free hens. This ensures that suppliers meet certain requirements for keeping birds and creates a demand for cage-free eggs. With this policy, METRO goes beyond what the law prescribes.
In Russia, keeping birds in cages is legal, but METRO is committed to further improving the conditions of laying hens. The company works with poultry farms, educates farmers. There are currently 3 articles of METRO Chef cage-free eggs available in stores.
Healthy foods
Customers who are concerned about reducing the amount of sugar and salt in their diet, can find own brand products with reduced salt or sugar content on the shelves in METRO stores.
METRO on the global level is committed to reducing salt and sugar content in the OB products.
In Russia, about 40 articles have been tested, and already 21 own brands products are manufactures with a reduced amount of salt and / or sugar in the composition.
Some SKUs already have the “Reduced Sugar/Salt” label for customers to find these “healthier” products on store shelves.
Testing
The testing process begins with METRO's quality department and suppliers working together, research and analysis of new recipes. At the final stage of approval of the new composition, each product is tested for organoleptic properties, also by chefs who use METRO products in restaurant kitchens.
The main task is to prevent decrease of product quality and shelf life, which often happens due to changes in the composition of products. That is why only a small part of the products is selected for testing. Also the production of sugar and salt is not always environmentally friendly, respectively, reducing the proportion of these substances in the composition of products potentially reduces the carbon footprint of production.
