Veg Power has partnered with ITV for the fifth year to launch the Eat Them To Defeat Them campaign, aimed at encouraging kids to eat more vegetables.
This year’s campaign funded by supermarket giants Tesco, Sainsbury’s Aldi, Co-op, Lidl, Waitrose and Dole comes following recent research that veg sales decreased by 9% in 2022 during the cost-of-living crisis.
With YouGov research also having found that 80% of children don’t eat enough vegetables, this year’s campaign aims to give parent’s the confidence that healthy food bought for their kids won’t end up in the bin.
Subscribe to Grocery Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest grocery and food news each morning
The 2023 Eat Them To Defeat Them is in alliance between ITV, Channel 4 and Sky Media, which have collectively contributed over £15 million of advertising to the campaign since it began, with this returning to TV screens tomorrow (11 February) during ITV’s The Masked Singer.
The schools’ programme involving 700,000 kids across the UK will follow on Monday 20 February and run until 8 April, featuring a theme of ‘Taking Over The World’, involving 10 meals and recommended recipes for each.
Alongside this, catering teams will provide displays and stickers and teaching staff will receive curriculum-compliant lesson plans.
“Parents tell us they are more concerned than ever about their finances and so rejected vegetables really worry them – they simply cannot afford to risk them going to waste, “Veg Power chief executive, Dan Parker said.
“Each year Eat Them to Defeat Them turns millions of children into champions for vegetables, pestering their parents to serve them. This enthusiasm is particularly important this year as it will give parents the confidence to keep vegetables in their shopping baskets.”
ITV director of social purpose, Susie Braun added: “Eat Them to Defeat Them has been proven again and again to get children not just eating vegetables but getting excited about them too. And that’s never been more important. We’re delighted to continue ITV and Veg Power’s partnership through this vital campaign.”
