NEW YORK — A number of regional supermarket chains are launching health and wellness initiatives in a bid to broaden their appeal to customers.

A number of regional supermarket chains are launching health and wellness initiatives in a bid to broaden their appeal to customers.

Mauldin, S.C.-based Bi-Lo LLC, for example, has begun offering flu vaccines in its pharmacies for $30, or $27 for shoppers with the chain’s frequent shopper card. The chain has also launched a new prescription discount card, which it says provides savings of up to 75% on generic medications and up to 25% on brand name ­prescriptions.

The card costs $5 per year, but consumers who sign up receive a $5 gift card that can be used to buy Bi-Lo brand health and beauty products.

Joseph Family Markets LLC, part of the Wakefern Food Corp. cooperative, recently added an in-store dietitian at its ShopRite store in West Hartford, Conn. The dietitian conducts shopping tours and healthy cooking classes and is available for free consultations with ShopRite customers. (The same dietitian will also serve the ShopRite in nearby Canton, Conn.)

Registered dietitians are also available at other ShopRite stores in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, where they offer an array of services that includes menu planning and nutritional advice for people with specific medical conditions.

Meanwhile, Supervalu Inc. is promoting the fact that it has trained immunizing pharmacists available at nearly all of its more than 800 pharmacy locations.

Customers who visit a Jewel-Osco, Albertsons, Acme or other Supervalu store can opt for either a traditional flu shot or a needle-free FluMist nasal spray for $26.99, or the high-dose Fluzone HD (meant for patients 65 and older) for $59.99. Customers who get immunized receive a coupon book and a small sample bag of cold and flu products.