Tesco is doubling down on its commitment to children’s health by expanding its Fruit & Veg for Schools programmefor a second academic year. Developed in partnership with the British Nutrition Foundation, the scheme will now reach over 500 schools across the UK, providing thousands of young people with free, daily portions of fruit and vegetables right in the classroom.
The expansion includes more schools in key areas like Cardiff, extending the reach of a programme that has already made a huge impact. In the last academic year (2024/2025), the scheme supported approximately 140,000 children with over 10 million portions of fruit and veg.
The funding is specifically targeted at schools where the proportion of pupils receiving free school meals exceeds 50%. This focus is crucial, as data indicates that families on lower incomes often struggle to afford a consistently healthy diet.
The need for support is clear, only 12% of children aged 11 to 18 currently meet the recommended five-a-day target. For children taking part in the Tesco programme, the supermarket anticipates a 23% increase in their overall fruit and veg intake, providing a much needed nutritional boost.
Participating schools receive funding to shop for the produce they need at their local Tesco stores.
The programme’s first year saw overwhelming success, both in volume and positive feedback. Ashwin Prasad, Tesco UK CEO, shared his enthusiasm “Schools have told us what a positive impact the Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools programme has made on their children, so we are delighted we are able to support even more schools in year two. By expanding it we can ensure that even more young people… get access to more fruit and veg.”
This sentiment was echoed by Elaine Hindal, Chief Executive of the British Nutrition Foundation, who noted the programme “has helped to improve the diets of our young people by helping them get more of their five a day, try new varieties and develop healthy habits.”
For schools like Coed y Dderwen Community Primary School in Cardiff, the difference is already tangible. A Family Engagement Officer there noted the funding has “made a meaningful difference… We have even seen improvements in both attendance and concentration amongst the children, which is fantastic to see.”
So, what were the most popular picks in year one? Apples led the way, with over 225,000kg distributed, followed by Bananas, Oranges, Grapes and Strawberries.
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