Scottish retailers at 2,200 stores across the country will be reaching out Best Start Foods cardholders to raise awareness of the scheme and let customers know that it is an accepted form of payment, thanks to a new partnership between the Scottish Grocers’ Federation Healthy Living Programme and card provider Social Security Scotland.
Some 40,000 prepaid cards are distributed to pregnant women and eligible families to aid with the cost of buying healthy food and milk for babies and children. They are then topped up with up to £39.60 every four weeks.
The Scottish Grocers Federation’s Healthy Living Programme will train and encourage staff in shops to get their customers used to paying with Best Start Foods cards.
Among the chains involved in the new scheme are Spar, Keystore, Nisa and Premier. The network of small shops promoting Best Start Foods spans the whole of Scotland including the Shetland Isles in the north to the Scottish Borders in the south and from Harris, Stornoway in the west to Peterhead in the east.
Social Security Scotland chief executive David Wallace who launched the scheme on a visit to Corseford Keystore in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, said:
“Local convenience shops can sometimes be the lifeblood of their communities. This initiative means owners and staff can offer support to their customers, ensuring they use all of the financial support available to them.”
Store owner Chris Watson has supported community events since he took the shop over from his dad in 1988. He supplies free water for sports days to nearby Fordbank Primary School and he provided a home delivery service during the pandemic to locals who were shielding or didn’t feel comfortable leaving their home.
He said: “I’ve been in convenience retail for over 30 years and times are really hard for my customers. If I can highlight the Best Start scheme and customers can benefit from it, it can only be a good thing.”
Kathryn Neil, programme director of the Scottish Grocers’ Federation’s Healthy Living Programme said:
“We are delighted to collaborate on raising the awareness and uptake of the Best Start Foods scheme in convenience stores. This positive partnership presents the opportunity for Healthy Living Partnership to join up with other Scottish Government policies. Healthy Living Partnership’s relationships with the convenience and wholesale sector allows us to deliver the information to consumers in the most deprived areas of Scotland and reaching those who are eligible.”
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