Obesity, considered to be a veritable epidemic by the World Health Organisation, continues to rise. In France, on average it affects 40% of the population, hitting the less well-off social categories hardest. Bonduelle has made nutrition one of its main strategic areas, by highlighting the benefits and pleasure to be derived from eating healthy vegetables, grown with care, naturally preserved and accessible to all.

"Because we are convinced that food is a great way to a healthy life, the Bonduelle Group decided to adopt a nutritional policy in 2003.
The sustainable improvement of everyone's nutrition and health is at the heart of the company's long-term project.

It is the responsibility of agri-food groups to concern themselves with the population's health; it is a logical part of a positive interaction between the company and society. The agri-food company is, alongside public authorities, a key player when it comes to bringing about change, thanks to its knowledge of consumption habits, its direct relationship with the consumer, its product range etc."

Read more: Bonduelle's nutrition policy

- To implement concrete measures to make vegetables more attractive and have them eaten by the whole population

- To improve the nutritional quality of its products 

Whilst the range of actions varies in line with each target identified, they all have the following characteristics:Whilst the range of actions varies in line with each target identified, they all have the following characteristics:

- they work on both the perception of vegetables and their consumption,

- they are aimed at specific targets: school children, disadvantaged sectors of society, sixth-formers, young adults,

- they have measurable results which are made public,

- they are repeatable, thus more effective. 

Since January 2005, vegetable day is celebrated every week in 700 canteens:
- kits are made available (posters, menus etc.)

- original recipes are proposed

- materials are provided, to be used by kitchen staff or in the classroom in order to enable the consumer to find out about new aspects of vegetables.

The operation is backed up by the website http://www.lejourdulegume.net/

Since 2006, through schools and universities, operations are regularly carried out in order to raise awareness amongst the under 20s of the benefits of vegetables: visits to allotments, cooking workshops etc.

Since 2007, "Ronde des legumes" workshops have been organised in partnership with the "Secours Populaire" charity, aiming to help disadvantaged people discover or rediscover the diversity of vegetables, their great taste and nutritional content, providing them with varied, economical and easy to prepare recipes. 

Bonduelle has initiated a complete review of its product ranges with a view to optimising their nutritional quality. The company is launching the Visa Santé project, one of the objectives of which involves reducing salt content by 5 to 25%, depending on the product. The salt content of over 30% of Bonduelle brand canned products is being cut by between 20% and 45%. Between 2006 and 2009, the average salt content of Bonduelle brand catering products fell by 20%.

• Sustainability and quality of partnerships