local shops nationwide are to get help to sell fresh produce from the department of health’s Change4Life initiative.
Following a successful pilot in the North East, shops across England can now join Change4Life and work with their local NHS trust to promote healthier eating in their communities.
The shops joining the scheme need to have a member of staff to champion fresh produce in store, as well as a commitment to review their range periodically. They will have a makeover in terms of their fresh produce offer to stock a wider range and be able to display Change4Life posters and signs.
The programme’s trial run began with 12 shops in November 2008 and has been an overwhelming success. Over nine months, an additional 88 shops joined the programme and sales of fresh fruit and vegetables increased on average by 40 per cent, with around a third of shoppers saying they will buy more fresh produce from their local store in future.
The expansion of the programme across England is possible thanks to an extension in the Change4Life partnership with the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) and the UK’s major convenience store symbol groups - Spar, Londis, Costcutter, Premier, Nisa-Today’s and the Mills Group.
James Lowman, ceo of ACS, told FPJ: “The symbol groups have been very pleased with how this has gone in the North East and really want to roll it out nationally quickly. They have seen a change in the way customers view their stores as somewhere where they can get a full range and not just emergency or impulse purchases.”
The department of health will continue to support a number of shops in less well-off areas where fruit and vegetables are less easily available, providing chiller cabinets and other equipment on a match-funding basis.
The Border Reiver is one such shop in the North East that has benefited. The store’s Gordon Moore said: “We got involved only two months ago and we have seen an uplift in sales of about 20 per cent already. The point-of-sale material is modern, vibrant and effective...
“The initiative allows us to sell a range of products more similar to the supermarkets, such as sweet potato, celeriac, sugarsnap peas and a range of mixed leaf salads.”
Andy Burnham, secretary of state for health, said: “Change4Life shops have been really successful in the North East… the scheme going nationwide is good for everyone - a boost to local customers’ health and to shopkeepers’ profits.”
Chris Hutchinson, president of the Fresh Produce Consortium’s wholesale division, added: “Any initiative that helps increase sales of fresh produce like this has to be good and we welcome its roll-out throughout the country.”
Lowman believes that part of the reason for the success of the initiative so far is the nature of the Change4Life branding itself. He said: “As a brand, it does not preach too much and is all about positive choices.”
He added that symbol groups have been keen to get behind it as they are aware that their competitors are too.
“The ACS, the department of health and the symbol groups have all put a lot of work into this,” Lowman continued. “Even though we have had good responses so far, the test comes now that it is going out nationally and we will have to see how it works. We don’t want to be complacent as there is still a lot of work to do.” l
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