Iceland will become the first UK supermarket to use 81 million milk bottles to promote a public service by supporting the NHS Healthy Start scheme to help ensure no child misses out – reaching millions of breakfast tables across the country.
At the same time, 9 million bottles will carry information on the Best Start Foods scheme in Scotland.
The schemes help low income families access free milk, fruit and vegetables, pulses, baby formula and vitamins.
Due to be on shelf in April this year, just as the NHS Healthy Start scheme switches to a digital card-based offer, the special ‘Could you get this milk for free?’ labels will also feature a QR code on larger bottles, taking people directly to the NHS Healthy Start and Best Start Foods websites where they can check their eligibility and apply.
Iceland will also be creating special campaign delivery vans which will deliver in areas of low take-up across the UK and be seen by thousands of people each week.
Securing full take-up of NHS Healthy Start alone would lead to tens of millions of pounds worth of additional benefit reaching around 130,000 families on very low incomes.
The Iceland campaign is being supported by The Food Foundation and has been welcomed by the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health Minister Maggie Throup and
Scottish Government Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson.
This industry first follows Iceland’s previous year long offer of free veg to families using Healthy Start vouchers and Best Start Food cards during the height of the pandemic, and the supermarket’s recent commitment to freeze the price of its £1 ranges to help people struggling with the impact of price inflation.
More information is available here on NHS Healthy Start and Best Start Foods.
