ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is encouraging more retailers to accept Healthy Start vouchers, currently only one third of independent retailers take advantage of the scheme.
Healthy Start is a government initiative which provides pregnant women and parents with young children, who are in receipt of qualifying benefits, Healthy Start vouchers. These vouchers can be used to purchase milk, fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables and infant formula milk from local shops which have signed up to the scheme.
To raise awareness about Healthy Start and to encourage retailers to sign up, ACS has developed a new animation which explains what Healthy Start is and how retailers can benefit from accepting vouchers in their store.
There are a number of benefits for retailers who accept Healthy Start vouchers including: new customers, extra income from selling qualifying foods and making a positive contribution to the health of their local area.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said, “By accepting Healthy Start vouchers in their store, retailers can provide another vital service to their local community. After finding that only a third of independent retailers accept Healthy Start vouchers we are embarking on work to raise awareness about the scheme and encourage more retailers to sign up.
“Convenience retailers have a unique reach into every town, neighbourhood and village across the country so we want to ensure retailers have the opportunity to understand how Healthy Start works and how it can help young families. This builds on our existing work with the Peas Please, to make more fresh produce accessible to local communities.“
ACS’ Healthy Start animation is available to view here.
For more information about the scheme, please visit: www.acs.org.uk/advice/healthy-start
