Obesity has become a general societal problem in Germany in recent years. The consumer portal of the Metro Group, www.gut-fuer-dich.info (German), offers its users an array of interactive Web 2.0 functions in addition to comprehensive information on a healthy lifestyle.

"Gut für Dich" wants to whet people’s appetite for well balanced nutrition and more exercise. The portal includes a "Newscrawler" which supplies the most relevant news on the topics of nutrition and exercise in a completely new form of information. Purpose-made software, automatically searches around 200 internet pages, filters their contents and categorizes the information. This search method in combination with the innovative presentation of the information is a novelty for the German internet.

"This will enable [children and young people] to successfully integrate both into their daily lives also later on. Parents and teachers have to be good role models in this respect," said Petra Rob, General Manager of the Metro Group.

Further measures of the initiative comprise a comprehensive information campaign and a new, consumer-friendly nutrient content identification on the Metro Group’s private-label products. Joachim Löw, coach of the German national football team and a former German football striker, intends to support the "Gut für Dich" campaign as a prominent partner.