DnaNudge pop-up launches in Waitrose & Partners Canary Wharf and John Lewis & Partners, White City

Monday 2 December 2019

DNA testing pioneer, DnaNudge, has today (Monday 2 December) launched new pop-up services in Waitrose & Partners Canary Wharf, and John Lewis & Partners, White City, offering shoppers the opportunity to try the world's first in-store genetic test that 'nudges' you to make healthier choices, based on your unique DNA plus your lifestyle. 

The technology works by taking a quick, on-the-spot one-time use cheek swab which, when tested in the brand's patented NudgeBox, will generate a personalised DNA report for the user based on key nutrition-related health traits.  

Once tested, users are able to start using the DnaNudge smartphone App or wrist-worn DnaBand to scan over 500,000 food and drink product barcodes and assess a product's suitability based on their personal genetic profile. The DnaBand will flash green if it is a good match for their DNA, red if it isn’t, and the App will recommend alternative green product swaps in the same category that would be more healthy for them based on their own DNA. 

The technology is based around the idea that regular gentle “nudges” in the right direction, based on personalised DNA and lifestyle, can lead to healthier, positive changes over time. The DnaBand also features a physical inactivity monitor, which glows amber when the user has been inactive for too long during the day. This inactivity changes the user's product recommendations in the App - something that was green may now show amber, and to get back to green you need to move a little. 

The pop-ups will be in the London stores for three months initially, with experts from DnaNudge on hand to help shoppers with the technology and answer any questions they may have. The complete 'Nutrition Package' – comprising DNA test, DnaBand with charger and lifetime subscription to the DnaNudge App is £120. 

A NudgeShare facility enables users to shop for the whole family based on their collective DNA results, and the NudgeMatch function enables friends to match and see which DNA traits they have in common.  

Professor Chris Toumazou, Regius Professor of Engineering at Imperial College London and CEO and co-founder of DnaNudge, said: 

“We're excited to be working in partnership with Waitrose and John Lewis to deliver our world-first DnaNudge service to customers in these iconic stores. Following the successful launch of our own flagship store in Covent Garden earlier this month, these new pop-ups bring our “Shop with your DNA” technology and “Eat right, move more” message for healthier food choices, direct to Waitrose and John Lewis shoppers. We're all incredibly excited about the future opportunities for customers as we extend our DNA-personalised services into other areas over the coming months.”

Moira Howie, Nutrition and Health Manager at Waitrose & Partners, said: 

“Retailers have an important role to play in helping shoppers who want to be healthier, so we are pleased to be teaming up with DnaNudge to offer this new technology which enables customers to make more informed choices based on the dietary aspect of their DNA.” 

Peter Cross, Customer Experience Director, John Lewis & Partners, said: 

“We’re always looking for ways to make our customers’ shopping experience more personalised and relevant to them which is why we’re pleased to give them an opportunity to make more informed purchasing decisions based on their own DNA. This technology currently helps our customers make healthier decisions about the food they purchase but it could also have the potential to broaden out into categories such as skincare in the future.”

In 2018, Waitrose & Partners also announced it was supporting a clinical trial with DnaNudge and Imperial College London to explore – for the first time – the effects of DNA-personalised food choices on health outcomes for pre-diabetic individuals. 

About John Lewis & Partners

John Lewis & Partners operates 50 John Lewis shops across the UK (37 department stores, 12 John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2) as well as johnlewis.com. The retailer stocks around 350,000 separate lines in its department stores and on  johnlewis.com across fashion, home and technology. This year John Lewis & Partners won, 'Best Multichannel Retailer 2018', 'Best Clothing Retailer 2018', and 'Best Furniture Retailer 2018' at the GlobalData Customer Satisfaction Awards 2018.  John Lewis Finance offers a range of comprehensive financial services products - including Insurance, Foreign Currency, International Payments and the Partnership Card - delivering the values of expertise, trust and customer service expected from the John Lewis brand. johnlewisfinance.com

*GlobalData Retail Customer Satisfaction Awards 2018

About Waitrose & Partners

Waitrose & Partners has 338 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands. It combines the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop - dedicated to offering quality food that has been responsibly sourced, combined with high standards of customer service. Waitrose & Partners is an employee-owned business - all employees are Partners and have a say in how the business is run. Waitrose & Partners exports products to more than 50 countries worldwide and has nine shops which operate under licence in the Middle East. The retailer's omnichannel business includes the online grocery service, Waitrose.com, as well as specialist online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine and waitroseflorist.com for plants and flowers.