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Tesco stores have now given out more than 100 million pieces of fruit, as part of its Free Fruit for Kids scheme.
Parents can grab free fruit, including apples and pears, from stands in the fruit and veg aisle for their children to snack on while they do their shopping at the supermarket chain.
Free Fruit for Kids is aimed at helping children get one of their five a day as well as helping to make the shopping journey a little easier for parents.
The initiative, which Tesco describes as ‘the first of its kind by a leading retailer in the UK’, launched in 800 stores in 2016. It was the brainchild of Maria Simpson, a Tesco checkout colleague from the Brigg superstore in Lincolnshire, who suggested giving free fruit to parents for their children to eat during shopping trips as an alternative to sweets.
The Government recommends that children – like adults – eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. But research has shown that less than one in five (18%) manage five portions.
Tesco chief customer officer Alessandra Bellini said: “We’re incredibly proud that kids across the UK have been able to enjoy 100 million pieces of fruit. We know that encouraging children to eat more fruit can sometimes be tricky and we hope this helps children pick up healthy eating habits early.”
Free Fruit for Kids is part of the retailer’s commitment to making it easier for customers to live more healthily. It has already removed over 8,000 tonnes of sugar, fat and salt across a range of 2,000 products including breakfast cereals, yoghurts and ready meals, through the reformulation of its own-label products.
