Tesco is breaking with tradition and launching a huge banana promotion.

The fruit is already one of the fastest selling products in the retail business – but the UK's leading multiple is to give sales a shot in the arm by offering enough Air Miles to give 10 customers the chance to go to the Caribbean.

In a bid to promote the contest, the chain will put 3D stickers on the floors of its stores, as well as adverts on petrol pumps.

Bosses at the retail giant claimed the initiative would further boost a consumer favourite, which usually simply sits in the background and sells like hot cakes.

Customer manager Sally Elgin said: 'Supermarket banana promotions are rare as bananas are mostly the top-selling fruit and plugging them is not usually a priority. But Tesco is keen to support its growers and suppliers across the globe, as well as giving consumers added-value – so we decided to give bananas some limelight. They are the most popular fruit, but they are often forgotten and overshadowed by fruits deemed more exotic.' As part of the promotion two advertising messages will be displayed, one promoting the competition, and the other the five-a-day message – which is increasingly finding its way into retailers' and consumers' consciousness.

Tesco sold more than 50,000 tonnes of bananas in 2001, 32 per cent of which are from the Caribbean – the destination of the winners' trip.

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