CVS Becomes The First National Pharmacy Chain To Remove Artificial Trans Fats From Store Brand Products

CVS Pharmacy has pledged to put customers' health first, and continues to do so by being the first national retail pharmacy chain to remove partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) — the main source of artificial trans fats in processed foods — from all exclusive store brand food products.

In 2015, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration released a statement that companies have a three-year compliance period (which ends in June 2018) to reformulate products without PHOs. CVS was able to beat that deadline by a year and a half.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), eating trans fats can increase the risk of developing heart disease and stroke.

The company's initiative to meet industry standards of healthy eating has caught the attention of Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, the chief medical officer at the AHA.

"We applaud CVS Pharmacy for working proactively to remove artificial trans fats from its store brands products well in advance of the federal deadline," Sanchez said in a statement. "The early removal of trans fats in all CVS Pharmacy store brands products will help to improve overall heart health and prevent heart disease for many Americans."

Recently, the company also launched its "Snacks That Give Back" food trend zone of healthier, guilt-free snacks that also support sustainability, fair labor, and charitable causes.