Healthy Start is a government scheme aimed at supporting individuals in low-income families who are at least 10 weeks pregnant, parents, carers, and young children. It provides assistance in purchasing healthy food and milk, as well as offering free Healthy Start vitamins. This digital initiative has transitioned from paper vouchers to a prepaid card system.
Included in the Healthy Start scheme are various products readily available in convenience stores. These products comprise plain liquid cow’s milk, including long-life, pasteurized, or ultra-heat treated (UHT) options, as well as fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables. Whether loose, pre-packaged, whole, sliced, chopped, or mixed, these options provide a variety of fruit or vegetable choices, including those in fruit juice or water. Additionally, the scheme covers cow’s milk-based infant formula milk, as well as fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, such as lentils, beans, peas, and chickpeas, among others.
Recent polling conducted by ACS’ Voice of Local Shop Survey in May 2022, which surveyed 1,210 retailers, revealed that one in four retailers have reported an increase in sales of healthy products and have stocked more healthy items in their stores over the past three years. These findings demonstrate the significant role that local shops play in facilitating access to healthy food for individuals. ACS chief executive James Lowman emphasizes this role, stating, “Local shops play a key role in feeding the communities they serve and ensuring that their customers have access to healthy foods. We strongly support this Motion and all efforts to promote uptake of Healthy Start.”
To enhance the adoption of the scheme, the Department of Health and Social Care should actively engage in encouraging its utilization. By investing time and resources to support retailers in promoting Healthy Start in their stores, awareness among consumers can be increased. A guide for retailers on the scheme can be found at the provided link [here](https://media.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/resources/f/nhs-healthy-start-scheme/digital-transition-nov-2021/guidance-documents). Moreover, materials like social media assets and till stickers are also available [here](https://media.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/resources/f/nhs-healthy-start-scheme/digital-scheme-jan-2022) to effectively communicate the scheme to customers. These resources aim to facilitate the seamless integration of Healthy Start into retailer operations.
