Whole Foods Market® Helps Shoppers “Be Good To The Whole Earth”

April 5, 2011 - PRLog -- AUSTIN, Texas. April 5, 2011 – As part of its “Be Good to Your Whole Body” campaign in its
Whole Body™ departments, throughout the month of April, Whole Foods Market focuses on educating consumers on its higher organic body care guidelines, eco-friendly packaging efforts and the carefully evaluated ingredients in  Premium Body Care™ products.

“We’ve expanded organic standards to body care, we’re using greener and promoting greener packaging and we’re insisting on even safer ingredients in all body care products,” said Jeremiah McElwee, global Whole Body coordinator, Whole Foods Market.  “By setting ever higher standards and working closely with manufacturers we’re always increasing the quality, availability and selection of eco-friendly products in the Whole Body department.”

Last June, the company introduced its organic body care guidelines to ensure that all cosmetics and personal care products labeled “organic” are required to have at least 95 percent organic ingredients. Products labeled with made with any organic claims must meet specific USDA organic criteria and anything listed as “organic” in the ingredient list must be certified to the USDA standard.

Whole Foods Market’s responsible packaging changes takes into account that nearly one third of all municipal solid waste in the U.S. is packaging.  The company is selecting products that utilize post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics and its 365 Everyday Value brand and Whole Foods brand are utilizing and transitioning to nearly 100 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic bottles for body care and supplements.

Whole Foods Market’s quality standards team is committed to examining each and every personal care ingredient in products sold nationally in Whole Body. Products with the Premium Body Care™ symbol meet the strictest standards for quality sourcing, environmental impact, results and safety. Currently, Premium Body Care lists more than 300 ingredients as unacceptable.

In-store lectures and podcasts provide information on Whole Foods Market’s environmentalism efforts within Whole Body. Topics include what to look for on labeling when selecting safer, more natural, eco-friendly alternatives, options for responsible packaging and how it reduces environmental impact and Whole Foods Market’s organic body care guidelines.

Several resources are available online www.wholefoodsmarket.com, including a three-part podcast
series on Whole Story. The first podcast with Whole Foods Market’s Joe Dickson, global quality standards
coordinator, discusses the company’s efforts to protect the organic standard for shoppers, suppliers and the
planet. A second podcast with Jim McConnell, co-chair of the Whole Foods Market Responsible Packaging
Task Force, shares the changes being made to product packaging within Whole Body to reduce environmental
impact.  Finally, a video podcast explaining Premium Body Care and how these standards have impacted
suppliers and therefore the natural body care industry as a whole.

About Whole Foods Market®
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ- WFMI), is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine. The company's motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet”™ captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company’s more than 58,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by FORTUNE magazine for 13 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2010, the company had sales of more than $9 billion and currently has more than 300 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Contact:
Janette Rizk
The Phelps Group for Whole Body at Whole Foods Market
(310) 752-4400 ext. 164
Janette@thephelpsgroup.com

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Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America’s first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” by Health magazine.