Have a banana: Co-op launches free fruit campaign

Monday 07 August 2017

Children visiting Grand Marché stores across the Channel Islands will be offered a free piece of fruit from today as part of a new healthy eating campaign trialled by the CI Co-op.

Children who are accompanying their parents or carers while they shop will be offered a free piece of fruit to encourage healthy eating whilst in store.

The campaign will run for eight weeks and it will then be evaluated to decide whether it is extended. 

This news follows the recent publication of the Food and Nutrition Strategy for Jersey which saw £400,000 allocated to tackle "poor diet, obesity and rising levels of diet-related disease in the island."

Pictured: Graphs in Jersey's new Food Strategy showing the levels of adults and children eating the recommended levels of fruit and vegetables in the island.

Commenting on the importance of the initiative, Chief Executive Officer of the CI Co-op, Colin Macleod said: “Health and wellness is a trend which is growing in popularity and as a community retailer, we want to ensure that we listen to the needs of our customers. We regularly see shoppers coming in with young children, who don’t want to be confined to a trolley or be restricted in where they can go, and being offered a snack, which is often an unhealthy option, so we started looking at free fruit schemes."

Customers will be able to visit the customer services desk in-store where children can choose a piece of fruit from a selection dependant on availability. All of the fruit will have been washed and ready to eat.

Pictured: The Co-op's 'Goodness Gang' campaign.

Mr Macleod added: "Obesity is now regarded as a major global economic problem and by 2030 it is predicted that almost half of the world’s population will be either overweight or obese. We know the Channel Islands are not immune and that both islands already have a significant proportion of the population who are overweight. It’s only right that as a supermarket, the Society plays a small role in encouraging the younger generation to enjoy fruit as a healthy snack."

Jersey’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr Susan Turnbull praised the scheme: "In 2010, less than half of Jersey’s population was overweight or obese but by 2015, this figure had jumped to more than half. A fifth of pupils in reception are overweight or obese and this proportion rises to a third of year 6 children. The impact on health budgets is considerable and the whole island needs to come together to tackle this issue. I’m delighted that The Channel Islands Co-operative Society is trialing this initiative."