ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed a report from the Food Foundation which provides an overview of its Peas Please initiative, highlighting the vital role that retailers play in providing their customers with a healthy food provision.
The Peas Please initiative was launched in 2017 and aims to bring together farmers, retailers, and restaurant chains, caterers, processors and government departments with the goal of making it easier for everyone to access and eat veg.
Published today (7th December) the report acknowledges how ACS has worked with the Food Foundation to better understand how retailers can add value to and support the government’s Healthy Start and Best Start Foods schemes.
Key findings from the report include:
- 162 million additional portions of veg have been served or sold over the past three years
- There are currently 95 pledgers across a range of sectors, including retailers and wholesalers
- 430 organisations are taking part in Veg Cities
Findings from ACS’ 2020 Local Shop Report revealed that convenience retailers invested £585m in the stores over the last year, 42% of which was spent on refrigeration to provide more fresh food for their communities.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Local shops operate at the heart of the communities and play a key role in ensuring their customers can access healthy foods to feed their families.
“We are pleased that the report has acknowledged the work that retailers have been doing to improve and extend their product offer in store and we will continue to help retailers engage with Peas Please to increase veg consumption in their communities.”
More information about Peas Please is available here https://foodfoundation.org.uk/peasplease/
