28/07/2009 - Fresh food brought to local stores
A government scheme to get the population eating more healthily is to give corner shops nationwide a fresh food makeover by stocking them up with fruit and veg.
Change4Life is gearing up small shops around the country to sell fresh fruit and vegetables in order to help people get their 5 a day, as well as increase the profits of small businesses, health minister Andy Burnham said.
The move follows a successful pilot of the idea in the North East where an additional 88 shops joined the programme over a nine-month period. Sales of fresh fruit and veg increased on average by 40%, with one in three shoppers saying they will buy more fruit and veg from their local store in future.
Corner shops can now join Change4Life and work with the local NHS to promote healthier eating in their communities, including displaying promotional posters and appointing a member of staff to champion fresh fruit and veg in store.
James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: "Local shops are at the heart of communities, and Change4Life's help in improving the fruit and vegetable on offer in these stores can make a huge difference to the diet choices that people can make."
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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