Improved behaviour, increased vitamin uptake and dietary diversity among the fruits of retailer’s free school access programme
Almost 20 million portions of fruit and veg have been served to 186,000 UK children attending schools supported by Tesco’s Free Fruit & Veg programme in the first two years of the scheme.
Now in its third year, the programme, developed in partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation, now provides 1,000 schools with daily free fruits and vegetables.
Currently, 80 per cent of children do not achieve the recommended intake levels of fresh produce, with a third eating under a single portion each day.
According to the retailer’s latest impact report, the children taking part in the scheme have benefitted from an average 4.2 per cent increase in Vitamin C intake alone in the last year.
It also found the produce has boosted Vitamin A by 1.7 per cent, fibre intake by 2.1 per cent and folate, which reduces tiredness, increased by 1.8 per cent.
Schools have said that improving students’ nutrition has helped with their concentration, with 94 per cent of teachers reporting improved behaviour, sharper focus and more energy in the classroom.
Elaine McCallum, deputy head teacher at Cleeves primary school, said: “Having access to fruit every day makes a real difference.
“For some of our children, it may be the only fruit they have that day, so making sure everyone can have a healthy snack is really important,” she added.
Each pupil who participated in the first two years of the scheme ate 60 portions of fruit and veg on average, trialling a total of 103 types of fruit and veg.
The most popular products were apples and bananas, potatoes, tomatoes and cucumbers.
The retailer said its long-term goal to help one million school children access free produce by July 2029.
Claire De Silva, head of communities at Tesco, said: ”Schools continue to tell us what a positive impact the Tesco Free Fruit and Veg for Schools programme has made on their children including sharper focus, more energy and better behaviour.
“But we can do more. That’s why in this academic year, we are extending the scheme even further, to include more than 1,000 schools, to reach more children in the most challenged communities in the UK get access to the fruit and veg they need,” she added.
In addition to the schools scheme, Tesco has offered free fruit in stores during school holidays, alongside the ongoing Fruit & Veg Grants blue token scheme.
