Health
Migros helps its customers to lead an active, enjoyable and healthy lifestyle. In 2014, it focused in particular on improving the recipes of its products and expanding its range for people with special dietary requirements.
Migros is aiming to produce more than 150 products with less sugar, salt and fat from 2019 onwards.
The issue of public health has a long tradition at Migros, stretching back to founder Gottlieb Duttweiler, who made a commitment to providing healthy food as well as leisure and recreational facilities for the population. To this day, health has remained an important quality pledge by Migros to its customers. In addition to continuously improving its products, Migros is also committed to services and projects that enable both young and old to improve their health literacy and exercise behaviour.
In order to position itself as a one-stop health provider in the future, Migros decided in the reporting year to promote health even more strongly within the company from 2015 onwards – especially in the areas of medicine, nutrition, exercise, wellness and relaxation. The aim of the health programme is to promote the physical and social well-being and the health literacy of the Swiss population.
Less is more – improved recipes
Salt, fat and sugar play an important role in food. Nevertheless, many people consume too much, which can contribute towards cardiovascular disease and obesity. In 2014, Migros therefore set itself the goal of assessing its range of food products on the basis of nutritional criteria and making improvements where necessary. The focus was on salt, fat, sugar, fibre and protein. The aim is to produce more than 150 products containing less sugar, salt and fat, but more fibre and protein, from 2019 onwards.
100 products have already been optimised by the end of 2014.
In the reporting year, Migros introduced new recipe standards for 20 food categories such as breakfast cereal and ready meals. These recipes will also be used in new products. For each product category, the standards stipulate target values, tolerance ranges and required measures for the specified nutrients. So far, Migros has analysed more than 1400 Migros products and identified a need for action in the case of around 150 products. The recipes of these products will be gradually improved over the coming years. 100 products have already been optimised by the end of 2014.
The new Migros nutritional guidelines, developed in collaboration with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) Wädenswil, serve as the basis for improving the recipes. The guidelines take into account the latest national and international dietary recommendations. At the same time, the technical feasibility of the changes was assessed together with M-Industry.
Bigger range for allergy sufferers
In Switzerland, around two million people suffer from food intolerances or food allergies. Those affected are often limited as to what they can eat outside of the home.
With its aha! products, Migros offers a wide range of products for allergy sufferers, including dairy products, bread, pasta, cereal, snacks and cosmetics. The products are regularly tested by the independent certification body Service Allergie Suisse SAS. More than 90 food and cosmetics products now carry the aha! quality label. Demand for gluten- and lactose-free products in particular is rising constantly. To meet this growing demand from customers, Migros is aiming to expand its allergy range by a further 30 percent by the end of 2016.
Since October 2014, Migros has also been offering the aha!-certified products in around 40 selected Migros restaurants and take-aways, where customers can choose from gluten- and lactose-free menus, sandwiches, bread, cake, muesli, salad dressings and coffee milk. To be able to answer questions from customers in a competent manner, Migros began offering courses for restaurant and take-away staff in the reporting year, in collaboration with the aha! Swiss Allergy Centre. The number of courses will be increased in 2015.
Nutrition as a health factor
Eating together
Social contact is the most important health factor – this belief forms the basis for Tavolata, a table community project for the elderly, launched by Migros Culture Percentage in 2010 in response to changes in society. Alongside the Migros Cooperatives Aare, Lucerne and Eastern Switzerland, Pro Senectute and Forum Elle play an important role in the expansion of Tavolata table communities, of which there are now more than 200. This lighthouse project also took off in western Switzerland in 2014.
Healthy living
The Kebab+ project was launched in 2008 together with DOJ, the umbrella organisation for child and youth work in Switzerland. It aims to make young people more aware of the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle. For its project "Jetzt nehmen Sie Platz" (Please take a seat.), the Jugendanimation Kriens youth association won the 2014 Kebab+ Award. The winners received CHF 1000. Three more projects on the topic of health promotion also won an award each, along with CHF 300 in prize money.
What is Switzerland eating?
In 2014, the Gottlieb Duttweiler Chair for International Retail Management at the University of St Gallen conducted its fourth study into eating and consumption habits in Switzerland, aimed at players in the food market. In addition to producers, retailers and wholesalers, these include institutions and companies in the health business. The results were published at the start of 2015.
Leisure facilities and health centres
Alongside offering a range of indoor and outdoor leisure and recreation opportunities as part of Migros Culture Percentage, Migros makes various efforts to improve quality of life and public health. In 2014, seven new centres were opened in the fitness, wellness and health sector. Migros now has golf facilities, swimming baths and Medbase health centres in 96 locations throughout Switzerland. The 50 Migros Club Schools also offer various courses in the field of exercise and health. Our facilities at a glance:
| Brand | Cooperative | Number |
| Fitnessparks | Aare, Basel, Lucerne, Eastern Switzerland, Vaud, Zurich | 16 |
| Activ Fitness | Zurich (franchise Ticino/Romandie) | 27 |
| FlowerPower Fitness & Wellness | Aare | 7 |
| ONE Training | Lucerne | 8 |
| MFIT | Eastern Switzerland | 6 |
| Fitness centres | Basel | 1 |
| Aquaparks (Bernaqua, Säntispark, Vitam) | Aare, Eastern Switzerland, Migros France | 3 |
| Elements (expansion Germany) | Zurich | 5 |
| Medbase health centres | Aare, Lucerne, Eastern Switzerland, Zurich | 12 |
| Sportparks (Rontal-Dierikon, Pilatus-Kriens, Milandia) | Lucerne, Zurich | 3 |
| Golfparks (incl. GolfCampus) | Zurich, Lucerne, Eastern Switzerland, Aare, Vaud | 8 |
| Total 2014 | 96 | |
| Total 2013 | 86 |
"We promise Dylan to offer fitness and wellness courses as well as training facilities for 10 million visitors per year from the end of 2017."
With its leisure facilities, Migros has been helping people to relax and strengthen their body and mind since the 1970s, establishing itself as a pioneer in the health and leisure market. Due to the expansion of its business activities in the preventive medicine area, Migros now operates a wide range of leisure facilities and health centres. Its facilities for improving public health are based on the principle of "a better quality of life for all, at the best value for money". The aim of the health programme is to promote the physical and social well-being and the health literacy of the Swiss population.
It now operates 73 gyms, spas and aquaparks. In November, Fitnesspark Glattpark opened in Zurich, offering an exclusive well-being experience with private spa. The subsidiary Activ Fitness opened a new centre in Ticino (Losone) and one in the Romandie (Lausanne), as well as two new ones in the greater area of Zurich. Migros Freizeit Deutschland GmbH – a subsidiary of the Migros Cooperative Zurich – opened a new Elements centre in Munich and one in Frankfurt. The centres impress with a holistic fitness and wellness concept. In 2014, Migros welcomed the following number of visitors at its leisure and health centres:
- 166’981 annual members (+12.6% compared to previous year)
- 9.9 million visitors (+12.7% compared to previous year)
- 16’908 holders of Intercity Cards (+29.9% compared to previous year)
(Figures apply to the 67 facilities in Switzerland)
It is the ideal admission pass for commuters wishing to make flexible use of a varied range of fitness, spa and wellness facilities throughout Switzerland.
The newest Medbase centre – the largest, with an area of 1000 square metres – opened in Abtwil in 2014.
The newest centre – and the largest, with an area of 1'000 square metres – was opened in Abtwil in 2014. Thanks to the long-standing partnership with the Migros fitness facilities, patients benefit from a comprehensive range of services consisting of medical care, therapies and training. The collaboration between fitness facilities and Medbase health centres was stepped up in 2014 with the launch of joint products and services.
With a total of 180 holes, Migros is the biggest provider of public golf in Switzerland. With the Migros ASG GolfCard, more than 14'000 independent golfers identify themselves as members of a recognised organisation of golfers who do not belong to a club. The Migros Golfparks thereby meet the general demand for an alternative to traditional club membership. To get more younger people interested in golf, Migros teamed up with the youth channel JOIZ to make a short TV report in 2014. Migros' commitment to golf includes:
- 180 holes
- 14’306 holders of the ASG GolfCard Migros
- 441’544 rounds of golf played
- 21.4 million balls hit on the driving range
- 1’100 handicap tests
Other commitments to health
Health in the workplace
Healthy employees are the backbone of any company. Within the Migros Group companies, activities aimed at boosting the ability to work, preventing incapacity and facilitating reintegration into working life are systematically managed and optimised as part of occupational health management.
Fitness and relaxation
"As the main sponsor, we promise Deborah to support running events for more than 200'000 people each year by 2015."
Whether specific training or everyday physical activity: regular exercise guarantees well-being. As part of the Generation M sustainability programme, Migros has initiated the Fitness & Relaxation programme, offering tips and tricks for exercise, relaxation and nutrition. Migros also encourages more exercise in schools. As the biggest partner in the field of sports, it is aiming to motivate more than 800'000 people to exercise by the end of 2015. Migros supports organisers of the most popular fun runs throughout Switzerland, financially as well as with non-financial and communication services. 45 running events were supported in 2014.
Délifit: A balanced diet in restaurants and take-aways
Migros is continuously expanding its range of balanced Délifit products in restaurants and take-aways. Délifit specialises in seasonal products and dishes prepared with fresh ingredients and little fat. These are created in close consultation with nutritionists.