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Celebrity chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver is joining Tesco to help make it easier for the nation to eat well and live healthier lives.
As a first step this month, Jamie will front up the supermarket chain’s ‘helpful little swaps’ in-store, where healthier alternatives offer reduced levels of sugar, salt and fat, as well as being cheaper for customers. A basket of ‘helpful little swaps’ will cost 12% less than a regular basket.
Tesco added that Jamie will also support the retailer’s work to help staff and customers ‘cook great value, healthier meals from scratch’. The first set of recipes created for Tesco by Jamie will be available in-store and online this month. Many of the ingredients from the recipes will be reduced in price and placed together for convenience for customers – with a focus on British fruit and vegetables. The recipes are Veggie Noodle Stir Fry; Fish Finger Sarnie; Mighty Mushroom and Kale Frittata; and Veggie Quesadilla Bake.
The partnership has been announced following a recent survey of over 2,000 people which found that seven out of ten families say they think supermarkets should do more to help people make healthier choices, with almost 70% also saying they would like more practical advice and inspiration on healthier alternatives.
Jamie said: “I’m incredibly excited to be collaborating with Britain’s biggest and most progressive supermarket. Over the past few years, under new leadership, Tesco has consistently raised the bar when it comes to so many important initiatives, such as helping kids eat more fruit with its brilliant Free Fruit for Kids in-store programme [with over 70m pieces of fruit given away since launching in July 2016].
“These survey results back up what I hear from my audience every single day: Britain wants to know how to enjoy more of the good stuff, in easy fun and delicious ways.
“This makes this partnership one of the most exciting opportunities to actually get Britain eating and celebrating more of their five fruit and veg a day. I’m going to work really hard to respond to the different seasons and to what the customer is asking for, by creating exciting meals, short-cuts and tips that get people really fired up to cook. Tesco’s part is to make it easier and more affordable.”
Alessandra Bellini, chief customer officer for Tesco commented: “Jamie’s passion and skill to inspire a nation to cook, coupled with our experience and reach in providing millions of customers and colleagues with healthy, quality, affordable ingredients, will be a great combination to help people take simple steps to leading healthier lives. This is a natural step in our ongoing work to make healthier eating a little easier.
“Tesco will have its third health event in-store this month and we’re excited to have Jamie fronting up the ‘helpful little swaps’ encouraging customers to buy products lower in fat, salt and sugar, as well as tasty, healthy recipes to try. Together we want to make a real difference to our customers’ and colleagues’ health.”
The partnership with Jamie complements Tesco’s Health Charity Partnership with Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK and British Heart Foundation announced earlier this year, which aims to improve the health of staff, customers and their families.
