Families encouraged to take up supermarket free veg offer

Best Start Foods clients can get free fruit and vegetables in Iceland and Tesco.

Customers who show their Best Start Foods card in Iceland stores can get a £1 bag of frozen vegetables when they make a minimum payment of £4.25.

In Tesco, Best Start Foods customers who present their card will receive £1 off their total shop when buying fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables.

At a time where a third of low-income families in the UK are struggling to afford fruit and vegetables, supermarkets are doing their bit to help communities they serve.

The prepaid Best Start Foods card replaced the UK Government’s healthy start vouchers in Scotland in August 2019 and can be used to buy First infant formula, fresh milk, fruit and vegetables, pulses and eggs.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

“The Scottish Government is committed to doing all it can to improve the health and wellbeing of children in Scotland and give them the best start in life. No child in Scotland should go without – our priority is ensuring low-income families can access healthy food for their young children.

“It is encouraging to see supermarkets running these kinds of initiatives. Feeding a growing family can be expensive – any extra help towards the cost of healthy food can make a real difference.

“I’m pleased that Iceland and Tesco have recognised how the Best Start Foods card can be a link in to helping some of the most vulnerable families in Scotland and would encourage Best Start Foods clients to take up these offers in store.

“I’d also ask anyone who thinks they might be eligible for Best Start Foods to find out more and apply. We want everyone to get all the money they are entitled to. The form is quick and easy to fill in so 10 minutes of your time could give you an extra £221 a year towards your food shop.”

Richard Walker, Managing Director at Iceland said:

“We are proud to support The Best Start Foods initiative and the families it supports by bolstering the value of payments made by using the cards in our stores.

“We understand the pressing need to help families facing food insecurity from our interactions with millions of customers each week and we are keen to implement initiatives and find new ways to support wherever possible.”

Jason Tarry, Tesco UK & ROI CEO, said

 “Right now, many families are facing hardship as a result of the pandemic and we want to help by providing nutritious food to those who need it.

“In addition to helping Best Start Foods customers with an extra £1 off fruit and vegetables each week, we’re providing an extra £4m of food to FareShare in the run up to Christmas, on top of our regular monthly food donations, to support food banks and community groups with vital supplies at a time when so many people are relying on them.”

 

Background:

• The Best Start Foods provides low income families on certain benefits with £17.00 on a payment card every four weeks during pregnancy up until a child turns three. The payment doubles (to £34.00) in the first year of a child’s life.
• To qualify for Tesco’s offer, a Best Start Foods card must be presented and used for a transaction where £1.00 or more is spent on fresh and/or frozen fruit and/or vegetables. This offer runs from 16^th November and will be reviewed in February 2021.
• In Iceland stores, Best Start Foods customers will receive a free £1 bag of frozen vegetables (900 g – 1 kg range) on a minimum spend of £4.25 in one transaction by presenting their Best Start Foods card at the checkout. This offer is available now and runs until 31^st December 2020.
• Promotional materials and store colleagues will signpost customers to these offers in store.
• The full Resolution Foundation ‘Caught in a Covid Trap’ report which shows figures of families struggling to buy vegetables can be accessed at resolutionfoundation.org/app/uploads/2020/11/Caught-in-a-Covid-trap.pdf

• People on certain benefits and tax credits can apply for Best Start Foods when they’re pregnant, or at any time up until their child turns three years old.

• People can apply for Best Start Grant, Best Start Foods and the Scottish Child Payment in one simple online form.
• People can find out more and apply at mygov.scot/beststart or by calling 0800 182 2222.