K Group to introduce the first purchase data-based nutritional calculator in the Nordics

“We want to offer our customers value-adding services based on their own purchase data. The feature that enables customers to review the nutritional values of their purchases is something people have requested ever since we first introduced the K-Ostokset service, and we have developed the feature in close cooperation with our customers,” says Minna Vakkilainen, Vice President of Analytics, Data and Loyalty at K Group.

The new service feature, to be launched before the end of this year, will allow customers to examine their consumption of salt, sugar, vegetables, fish, and red meat during past year. The data on nutritional values comes mainly from a national product data bank. Customers can compare their consumption with national nutrition recommendations, and set goals such as reducing their consumption of salt or buying more fish.

“Our customers can set themselves targets for reducing their salt consumption, for example. The service will provide them with data on their salt consumption and a list of products they have purchased containing the most salt. We want to help our customers understand how their purchases compare to official nutritional recommendations. I’m sure many people will be surprised to learn which products actually contribute to their salt or sugar intake,” says Vakkilainen.

First automated nutritional app in the Nordics

“This is the first app available in the Nordic countries that automatically provides nutritional data on products purchased. Other apps require users to scan or input product data themselves. Our service is rare even on an international scale. It is based on purchases registered on each customer’s K-Plussa loyalty card and product information. We will be continuously expanding the scope of product information,” says Vakkilainen.

The K-Ostokset service was first launched in spring 2019, and it has been well-received by customers. The user numbers are constantly growing, currently totalling nearly 200,000.

“It is important for our customers to be able to review their purchases and have the tools to weigh their options and monitor the impacts. Meanwhile, it is important for us to be able to return the data we have gathered to our customers so that they can use it as the basis for everyday decision-making,” says Vakkilainen.

K-Ostokset service

• K-Ostokset is a data-based service that allows K-Plussa customers to track what they are buying from K Group’s grocery stores, and helps them make more conscientious choices.
• The service gives an overall view of the purchases as well as showing them by category.
• The service is designed to help K Group customers make purchase decisions aligned with their personal values and goals. The service enables customers to set themselves a target for reducing their carbon footprint, buying more Finnish products, or decreasing their sugar consumption, for example.
• Customers can view their purchase data for the past year as well as by month and by week.
• K-Ostokset can be used via browser or as a feature in the K-Ruoka mobile app.
• The service depicts the share of Finnish products purchased by the customer in comparison with other similar customers.
• The service also offers a carbon footprint calculator that provides data on the carbon footprint and climate impacts of grocery purchases.
• K-Ostokset can also determine a realistic goal for each customer for increasing the amount of Finnish products bought or for reducing personal carbon footprint; the service utilises artificial intelligence to recommend products the customer can buy to achieve that goal.
• K-Ostokset includes data on all food and grocery purchases made by the customer in K-Market, K-Supermarket and K-Citymarket stores, Neste K stations and online, and registered on the customer’s personal K-Plussa loyalty card.
• Customers can also combine the purchase data of an entire K-Plussa household and view the whole family’s food purchases.