Tesco Partners With Schools To Promote Healthy Eating

Tesco has launched a new program called Tesco Fruit and Veg for Schools, designed to provide pupils in 18 Northern Irish schools with at least one piece of fruit or vegetable per day.

The program, developed in partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation and Groundwork UK, will focus on schools with a higher-than-average free school meal ratio. In total, 400 schools across the UK will benefit from the initiative, receiving approximately 16 million pieces of fruit and vegetables over the school year.

According to a survey by We Are Futures, 71% of teachers prioritised the availability of fruit and vegetables for all pupils when more funding was available. Only 12% of children aged 11-18 currently meet the recommended five-a-day fruit and vegetable intake, and Tesco expects to see a 23% increase in fruit and vegetable consumption among participating children.

The British Nutrition Foundation estimates that the program could increase intakes of vitamin A by 7%, vitamin C by 25%, folate by 14%, and fibre by 10% over the school year.

The focus on areas with higher free school meal participation is crucial, as data shows that families on lower incomes often struggle to afford healthy diets. Participating schools will be able to purchase fruit and vegetables from local stores. Ken Murphy, Tesco Group Chief Executive, said: "Our aim is to enable schools to provide enough fruit and veg for every child to have at least one piece every day.

"Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools will make a real difference by providing something that young people look forward to receiving every day, and we hope it will be another little nudge to get them eating healthy food.

"We know we can't change habits overnight, but we can ensure that young people in some of the most challenged communities in the UK get access to more fruit and veg. We want to help them try something new, learn about food and how to prepare and cook it."

Elaine Hindal, Chief Executive of the British Nutrition Foundation, said: "We welcome this significant investment from Tesco to help improve the diets of our young people. By targeting funding to pupils in areas in need of a little extra help, this is a meaningful and impactful intervention. Beyond the funding, we're excited to strengthen the support with educational resources that will help teachers inspire pupils and foster an ambition to develop healthy habits for these pupils to take through life."

UK Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Andrew Gwynne, commented: "With only one-in-five children eating the recommended portions of fruit and veg a day, it's fantastic to see Tesco's commitment to helping children access healthier foods.

"We're committed to giving every child the best start in life, by funding healthy free breakfast clubs across the country, so that pupils start the day with hungry minds – not bellies."