Texas Shoppers Major Changes Coming to Walmart, Costco, & Target

The major retailers have observed an interesting fact about Texas shoppers. Whether you live in a big city like Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, or Austin or you live in a smaller town such as Gilmer, Bryan, Jasper, or Marshall, you are experiencing a shortage. Nope, it's not toilet paper. No, it's not Vienna Sausage. And no, it's not even eggs. The shortage that all of us have experienced is the shortage of time.

It's a proven fact that consumers in Texas and everywhere for that matter just don't have time to shop at one store for one item and then move on to another store for a second item. That's why retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Costco have designed their stores to encompass almost every consumer need.

Being able to buy groceries, tires, fishing lures, motor oil, baby oil, and frozen pizza all in the same place saves us time. It makes retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Target rich. And these giant retailers have established locations all across the state. Did you know that 90% of the American population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart store?

And what is the reason that more and more Americans are visiting Walmart, Target, and Costco these days? Look in your pantry and your 'fridge. It's groceries. Grocery sales are a huge part of these retailers' profit margin and they are keenly aware of subtle changes that happen in consumer mindsets and choices.

One of the big trends in groceries is the move toward "healthy" items. But what is healthy? What can be labelled as "healthy"? And is it possible that some products labelled as healthy can be far from good for you?

That last question about labels is the genesis of a sweeping change that consumers will see across the retail landscape over the next three years. The changes are mandated by the Food and Drug Administration and here's what those changes will mean for you as you peruse the aisles of your favorite store.

According to the soon-to-be-in-place guidelines from the FDA in order for a food to be considered "healthy" it must:

1: Contain a certain amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups (such as fruit, vegetables, grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy and protein foods) recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

2: Meet specific limits for added sugars, saturated fat and sodium.

While that might look confusing at first blush it really isn't. For example, there are some foods that you already know are "healthy" and will be labelled as such without hesitation. Those items include water, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, avocados, nuts and seeds, and higher-fat fish, such as salmon, and olive oil.

Conversely, some foods that might seem healthy but really aren't won't be able to carry the word "healthy" on their label. Foods like highly sweetened cereals and yogurts and fortified white bread.

You can also expect more stringent and precise labels to be presented for supplements, vitamins, and other products that promise a health benefit. The change should be good for consumers who are actively trying to modify their lifestyle to be more healthy.

But remember the mandated changes aren't required to be in place for another three years. So, you still have a lot of time to have the wool pulled over your eyes by products that would like you to believe they are beneficial for your good health. Become an informed shopper and know before you go.