EMBARGOED UNTIL MARCH 18TH 2010, 00:01
WEST MIDLANDS PUSHES FRUIT AND VEG TO THE SHOP FRONT
A total of 18 corner shops acrossthe West Midlandsare being freshened up with help from Change4Life to sell more fruit and veg – so more people can get their 5 A Day, Public Health Minister Gillian Merron said today.
Following a successful pilot in the North East where sales of fruit and veg grew by almost 50 per cent, corner shopsacross the country are now joining Change4Life and working with the local NHS to promote healthier eating in their communities.
The stores have had a fruit and veg makeover, stocking a wide range of fruit and veg, displaying Change4Life posters and signs, and appointing a member of staff to champion fresh fruit and veg in store.
Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron, said:
“It’s not always easy to get your 5 a day – but we’re going to help the local shop stock and keep fresh fruit and veg, which will make it easier for shoppers to choose healthy options.
“This is good news for everyone – it will boost the health of local people and the local shops.”
Department of Health West Midlands, Karen Saunders, said:
“Here in the West Midlands we have the joint highest rate of obesity in the UK for adult women (28 per cent) and the second highest rate of obesity for men (26 per cent)so we are delighted that this initiativehas come to the region.
“We are confident that we will have the same success as in North East, encouraging more people to eat fresh fruit and vegetables. This approach has been proven to change people’s habits and promote a healthier lifestyle.”
Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive, James Lowman,said:
"Change4Life has been at the heart of the convenience store sector's efforts to grow sales of produce, particularly in deprived areas. Working with the Department of Health and using the Change4Life branding, members have grown produce sales by nearly 50 per cent, bringing significant and lasting change to those stores and the communities they serve."
To launch the campaign here in the West Midlands, six stores have teamed up with their local school to take part in a competition to win a healthy hamper and the chance to find out about fun ways to reach their ‘5 A Day’. The Six stores across the region participating in the launches include Costcutter in Shard End, Birmingham; Booker in Bedworth, Warwickshire; Nisa in Oldbury, Sandwell; Nisa in Shrewsbury Shropshire; Londis in Lillington, Leamington; and Spar in Glascote Heath, Tamworth.
A trial run of the programme began with twelve shops in the North East last November and has been an overwhelming success. Over twelve months, an additional 100 shops joined the programme and sales of fresh fruit and veg increased on average by 47 per cent, with around a third of shoppers saying they will buy more fruit and veg from their local store in future.
The expansion of the programme across England is now possible thanks to the Change4Life partnership with the Association for Convenience Stores, an organisation which represents more than 28,000 retailers and suppliers in England, including well known franchises such as NISA-Today’s, SPAR, Booker, Musgrave and Costcutter..
The first phase of this roll out is launching today with 60 stores in theWest and East Midlandsand South West, starting with an improved range of fruit and vegetables using the Change4Life branding. Twenty-eight stores have received support from the Department of Health to increase the amount of prominent chilled space allocated to fruit and vegetables –10 of these stores are located in the West Midlands.
A further 32 stores have received support from the local regional health authority to allow them to display the branding and increase the range available. Out of these 32, eight are in the West Midlands and have received funding from the Birmingham Primary Care Trusts.
Each store will receive point-of-sale and in-store branding as well as an ambient stand for display at the front of store.
The Department of Health will continue to support a number of shops in less well off areas where fruit and veg is less easily available, providing funding towards chillers to help keep stock fresh.
Notes to editors
- Formedia enquiries regarding the West Midlands launches and to arrange interviews please contact Hannah Brookes / Andrew Myatt from COI on 0121 222 2635 / 07920283619. For general media enquiries about the initiative only please call the Department of Health news desk on 020 7210 5221.
- Shops interested in becoming Change4Life corner shops should contact the Association of Convenience Stores to get involved
- For further information on the change4life campaign in the West Midland and how The Department of Health West Midlands is working to ensure effective communication and co-ordination in tackling obesity across the region please visit and
- For more information about the Association of Convenience Stores visit
- Of the 32 stores to have received support from the local regional health authority, eight of these have received funding from the Birmingham PCTs. The symbol group and all three Birmingham PCTs hope to increase this to 20 stores by June 2010.
- Stores participating in the launch include:
Launch Store / Address
Costcutter / 197-199 Heathway,
Shard End Birmingham,
B34 6QU
Booker / 58 Nuneaton Road,
Bedworth,
Warwickshire,
CV12 8AR
Nisa / 2 Stanley Road,
Oldbury,
Sandwell,
B68 ODY
Nisa / Penfold Shopping Centre,
Gains Parkway,
Shrewsbury,
Shropshire,
SY3 5HF
Londis / Newland Road
Lillington,
Leamington Spa,
Warwickshire,
CV32 7PY
Spar / 69 Caledonian
Glascote Heath
Tamworth
B77 2ED
- Sales of fruit and vegetables have increased by an average of 47% in pilot stores. This figure is based on sales data from participating stores.
- Change4Life is an innovative, interactive healthy living campaign. It helpsfamilies to achieve and maintain a healthier lifestyle by promoting healthy habits that encourage them to eat well, move more and live longer.
- The movement is already showing good progress in changing harmful behaviours which can lead to people becoming overweight or obese:
- one million mums claim to have attempted to change their children’s behaviour as a result of Change4Life;
- latest data show that obesity prevalence in children is levelling out;
- an early analysis of people’s shopping baskets suggests that families who signed up to Change4Life are now more likely to chose low fat milks and low sugar drinks: and
- for every pound spent on the campaign, three pounds are spent by partners such as Tesco and Asda to build momentum.
- In its first year, the focus of the campaign was on young families. The spotlight is now falling on adults.
- Other stores involved in the West Midlands include:
- Costcutter in Nechelles, Birmingham
- Spar in Netherton, Dudley
- Nisa Local in BromfordBridge, Birmingham
- Nisa’s Spend ‘N’ Save in Hockley, Birmingham
- Costcutter in Cannock, Staffordshire
- Costcutter in Wallsall Wood in Aldridge
- Costcutter in Sheldon, Birmingham
- Booker’s TZ Convenience store in Northfield, Birmingham
- Booker’s TZ Convenience store in Ward End, Birmingham
- Nisa in Shirley,Solihull
- Nisa in Bordsley Green, Birmingham
- Nisa in Stechford, Birmingham
Issued on behalf of Department of Health by
COI News & PR West Midlands
For more information and to arrange interviews please contact
Hannah Brookes / Andrew Myatt at
COI on 0121 222 2635 / 07920 283 619.