The government is not making any additional funding available to help c-stores sell fruit and veg, despite announcing plans to roll its Change4Life local stores scheme out across the country.
The scheme encourages c-stores to sell more produce by offering free advice, PoS and other marketing material. Following a successful trial in the north east of England, which saw sales of fresh produce rise 40%, the DH and ACS are extending the scheme nationally. Retailers taking part in the north east trial benefited from an £800,000 grant over three years for match-funding the purchase of chillers in deprived areas.
But no new funding is being made available for the national roll-out, despite Change4Life having an overall budget of £275m and the ad campaign costing £8m. "The amount spent on the ad campaign is in the millions, but the amount of funding available for retailers is in the thousands," said one retailer. "The scheme is a good idea and I don't want to knock it, but the number of retailers who can buy chillers with this is severely limited the cheapest chiller will cost about £4,000."
C-stores often struggled to sell fruit and veg because of high wastage and needed a financial incentive to move into this area, agreedPeter Dodding, retail director of Spar wholesaler, James Hall & Co, who is on the Change4Life steering group. "It has worked well in stores in which investment has taken place, and to a lesser extent in those that have just concentrated on marketing," he said.
James Lowman, ACS chief executive, said the government had never had any intention of putting more funds into the scheme. "It will be hard work to roll it out nationally, but it's an enormously positive thing that retailers can use the Change4Life branding and get support," he added
Landmark said the scheme had helped to increase sales in the 40 retailers that had taken part in the north east by 45% and it would now roll the scheme out nationally.
The scheme encourages c-stores to sell more produce by offering free advice, PoS and other marketing material. Following a successful trial in the north east of England, which saw sales of fresh produce rise 40%, the DH and ACS are extending the scheme nationally. Retailers taking part in the north east trial benefited from an £800,000 grant over three years for match-funding the purchase of chillers in deprived areas.
But no new funding is being made available for the national roll-out, despite Change4Life having an overall budget of £275m and the ad campaign costing £8m. "The amount spent on the ad campaign is in the millions, but the amount of funding available for retailers is in the thousands," said one retailer. "The scheme is a good idea and I don't want to knock it, but the number of retailers who can buy chillers with this is severely limited the cheapest chiller will cost about £4,000."
C-stores often struggled to sell fruit and veg because of high wastage and needed a financial incentive to move into this area, agreedPeter Dodding, retail director of Spar wholesaler, James Hall & Co, who is on the Change4Life steering group. "It has worked well in stores in which investment has taken place, and to a lesser extent in those that have just concentrated on marketing," he said.
James Lowman, ACS chief executive, said the government had never had any intention of putting more funds into the scheme. "It will be hard work to roll it out nationally, but it's an enormously positive thing that retailers can use the Change4Life branding and get support," he added
Landmark said the scheme had helped to increase sales in the 40 retailers that had taken part in the north east by 45% and it would now roll the scheme out nationally.
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