AUSTIN, TX. March 5, 2009.

After introducing the industry's most comprehensive standards for natural body care products just over a year ago, Whole Foods Market announced today that its exclusive 365 Everyday ValueTM Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Lotion and Shower Gel will be reformulated to  meet the Company's Premium Body Care Standards, recognized as a benchmark in the personal care industry.

“Whole Foods Market researchers have spent two years evaluating each and every ingredient in our body care products on criteria including safety, source, efficacy, and environmental impact to perfect the Premium Body Care Standard label. While our goal is to eventually have all of our Whole Body products adhere to these standards, we are excited to extend the label to one of our most popular set of products,” said Michael Besancon, Whole Foods Market's senior global vice president of purchasing, distribution and marketing. “In addition to raising the bar for natural body care, we are also proud to be selling these very popular products at the same great prices – particularly with the new premium ingredients.”

 

The 365 Everyday Value Shampoos, Conditioners, Body Lotions and Shower Gels come in 16 oz or 32 oz sizes of mint, citrus grapefruit, lavender, and unscented. Last year the shampoo earned “America's Healthiest Beauty Award” from Health magazine. The reformulated products will be available this summer in the stores' Whole Body departments, and will not contain any of the more than 300 ingredients banned on the Premium Body Care Standard list. There will be no price increase associated with this formulation change.

With nearly 28 years of experience in selling natural and organic products, Whole Foods Market's quality standards for personal care already differentiate the natural and organic retailer in the marketplace – each product found in its Whole Body departments is carefully evaluated and never tested on animals. The Company's seal of approval identifies products that meet the Premium Body Care standard, which do not contain ingredients such as parabens, polypropylene and polyethylene glycols, sodium lauryl and laureth sulfates. Additionally, products that bear the Premium Body Care seal have been evaluated and approved for safety, effectiveness and environmental impact.

Whole Foods Market's Premium Body Care Standard launched in February 2008 and has been lauded by body care experts as the most comprehensive standard in the industry, raising the bar for defining quality natural personal care. The standard and seal of approval label helps consumers decipher which body care products in Whole Foods Market's Whole Body departments contain the most natural and highest quality ingredients.