Corner shops to receive Government cash to promote fruit and veg » Health » 24dash.com

Corner shops will receive £800,000 of Government cash to promote fruit and vegetables to poorer people in a bid to get them to eat healthy food, it was announced today.

As part of a drive to tackle Britain's growing obesity problem, the Department of Health is pledging the cash to make healthy eating more appealing.

A total of £200,000 will be provided this year and £300,000 in each of the following two years to get local convenience stores in England selling more fruit and veg.

This could be used for new shelving, chiller cabinets and promotional information to urge local people to eat more healthily.

Shopkeepers will not be told to stop selling unhealthy snacks like sweets, crisps and fizzy drinks but they will be expected to make room for fruit and veg promotions.

A project coordinator will work with the stores to help them "maximise profits and minimise waste".

He or she will also ensure close cooperation with local healthy eating drives, including getting children to eat five servings of fruit and veg each day.

The corner shop project will start in the North East this autumn, with the aim of getting 120 stores in the area on board by May next year.

People in the North East have been shown to have poorer general health than those in many other parts of the country.

Research has shown that people on lower incomes eat less fruit and veg than other social classes.

Today's announcement comes after the success of a similar scheme in Scotland, which started with 10 stores and now involves more than 500.

Surveys carried out among people living nearby showed they were eating more fruit and veg and used their local shop as their main source rather than going to bigger supermarkets.

Health minister Ivan Lewis said: "We know that families in some communities still use the corner shop on a daily basis for their food and other household goods.

"It is therefore essential we take healthy eating options to these stores and reach those families who are at the greatest risk of poor health due to a poor diet.

"Consumer habits are shifting. People shop around at different outlets several times a week, so it's important that people have the opportunity to buy fresh fruit and vegetables where it is convenient for them."

The Government said it was working with the Association of Convenience Stores and the major convenience store chains to launch the project.

James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: "We are glad to partner with Department of Health in this important project.

"Convenience stores trade at the heart of communities of all kinds throughout the country.

"They provide choice and convenience to all, and for some more vulnerable consumers provide invaluable access to food and services.

"Selling healthy food, fruit and vegetables in particular, is an area where we have seen tremendous innovation and investment.

"Working with DH we have an opportunity to facilitate the penetration of these changes deep into even the most deprived communities.

"Working together we can bring not only the access, but also the messages about healthy choices to the consumers that need it most."

Obesity causes 9,000 premature deaths each year and costs the NHS £4.2 billion and the economy £16 billion annually.

Figures show that two thirds of adults and a third of children are either overweight or obese in the UK.

This could rise to almost nine in 10 adults and two thirds of children by 2050, putting them at serious risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

The initiative will be branded with the Change4Life logo, a new Government scheme that coordinates projects aimed at helping people lead healthier lives.