In an effort to get customers to eat five fresh produce items each day, supermarket chain Sainsbury not only is giving them more bonus points for purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables but last week sent a Vegfast Van to spots across the UK to spread the word.
As part of its now-annual Great Fruit & Veg Challenge, the retailer hopes its boost to Nectar points and the van will change perception among consumers. New data from a study don’t by Sainsbury’s and Nectar revealed that UK shoppers are making strides but still at 3.25 portions per day, or 65% of hitting that goal.
“When you’re doing the food shop week-in, week-out, it can be challenging to think of new recipes and to feel inspired to try something different – particularly during the school summer holidays when routines can go out the window,” Sam Burston, Director of Nectar & Loyalty at Sainsbury’s, says. “That’s why we are bringing back the Great fruit & veg challenge and looking to inspire our customers to try something different through the Vegfast Van – showing them how easy it can be to pack their breakfast full of fruit and veg while getting more out of their Nectar points balance. We want to support our customers to eat delicious food that is good for them and the planet.
The van offered several items made with produce such as banana colada smoothie bowls, carrot cake bircher and green herb frittatas that showed consumers the possibilities of eating fresh earlier in the day. The study revealed that most Brits were completely skipping fruits and veg until 1.58pm. More than a quarter aren’t even consuming a single piece of produce until they eat dinner. Part of the problem, 13% of UK consumers revealed, is that they simply don’t know how to add in fruit or veg outside of their evening meals.
One bit of positive news is that parents throughout the UK are making the attempt to get produce into morning and afternoon meals for their children. More than 40% gives at least one portion to kids during breakfast, nearly three-quarters saying their children get the full daily recommended amount of fruits and veg, though several other studies have shown otherwise. The famed Eat them to Defeat Them campaign from Veg Power and iTV shows that 80% do not get enough veg in their daily diets. According to the study commissioned by Sainsbury’s, 37% of parents that struggle to get their children to eat more produce say it is because they are “fussy eaters”. About one-fifth say their child gets bored or that their kid “doesn’t like the taste.”
Sainsbury’s extended its efforts this summer to try to improve during a time when many families simply don’t make produce a requirement. Sainsbury’s Great Fruit & Veg Challenge has seen nearly 1 million customers take part since its launch three years ago. The retailer says that had led to 106 million portions of fruit and veg purchased.
