Spar Scotland offers free fruits to children in new Healthy Living Programme campaign

Spar Scotland has started trialling a new campaign with the SGF Healthy Living Programme (HLP), with participating stores giving out free fruit to children to encourage them to eat more fruit.

The trial, launched on 14 June, will continue till 25 June at six stores in Aberdeen. A selection of fresh fruit will be available at till points and children will be encouraged to take a piece by store staff as part of the campaign.

“We were delighted to be approached by HLP to support them with this project. We look for our stores to promote healthier choices in all categories. We are looking forward to seeing all the children visit these stores and receiving free fruit,” commented Colin McLean chief executive of Spar Scotland.

“We’ve partnered with HLP for many years now through a variety of different guises. However, this initiative sits well with us in terms of adding support to our grassroots partnership with the Scottish FA.  It’s all about healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle.”

The symbol group is the first convenience retailer in Scotland to trial the new initiative with the HLP, the Scottish government funded programme which aims to increase the range, availability, quality and affordability of fresh produce and healthier products from other categories in convenience stores across Scotland.

Kathryn Neil from the HLP said: “It is now more important than ever that healthier options are available to everyone no matter what their financial situation. Spar Scotland will be the first convenience chain in Scotland to offer free fruit to children. We are hoping with the trial we can then introduce this campaign into other stores within the Spar Scotland estate.”

The free fruit will include bananas, apples and oranges and will be available in baskets at the till points with fully branded POS provided by the HLP. Teams from Spar and HLP will also be at the stores to hand out healthy goodie bags to children and adults alike.

Spar stores taking part are in Kincorth, Mastrick, Northfield, Tarves, Peterhead and Keith. The group will also support the campaign in store and on its social media channels.