Business & Tech
RI CVS Stores Expanding Allergy-Free Options For Halloween Goodies
CVS is partnering with the Teal Pumpkin Project, which encourages people to offer some allergy-free options for children trick-or-treating.
WOONSOCKET, RI — In the United States, one out of every 13 children suffer from food allergies and intolerances, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). So, CVS Health is partnering with Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) to make trick-or-treating on Halloween more accessible for those children.
CVS, a Woonsocket-based company, partnered with FARE on its Teal Pumpkin Project. The project encourages people to place teal-colored pumpkins on their doorsteps to signal that in addition to candy, non-food goodies and food allergy safe treats are available for trick or treaters.
"Many typical Halloween sweets aren’t safe for children with food allergies and contain top food allergens such as nuts, milk, egg, soy, wheat and sesame," FARE CEO Sung Poblete said in a statement. "The number of children with food allergies has risen dramatically over the past 20 years, and our Teal Pumpkin Project will be amplified this year through CVS' ability to help parents and caregivers identify safe treats and reach even more children
by making it easier to find these options at select store locations."
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To help raise awareness for the project, CVS executives said they will simplify Halloween shopping for families with food-allergy concerns. To do this, the retailer plans to offer about 50 food-allergy safe items in 4,500 stores nationwide. Many of those items will be under $5, the retailer said, and items will be marked in stores to indicate if they are allergy-safe.
"As consumers shop at CVS Pharmacy this Halloween season, we believe it is our responsibility to offer them safe and smart choices for their families, friends and neighbors seeking allergy-friendly options," said Brian Eason, a vice president for CVS Health. "We know healthier happens together, and our partnership with FARE provides an opportunity to ensure Halloween is a more inclusive holiday, in addition to bringing awareness to the important
mission of the Teal Pumpkin Project."
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