Thousands of pieces of soft plastic packaging collected at Tesco stores are being given a new lease of life as fruit and vegetable planters, helping schoolchildren in Aberdeen learn more about healthy eating and where food comes from.
The initiative forms part of Tesco’s Stronger Starts programme, which is supporting around 400 schools across the UK already benefiting from the retailer’s Fruit & Veg for Schools scheme. The recycled planters will enable pupils to grow their own produce, offering hands-on gardening experience and a deeper understanding of the journey from seed to plate.
To help schools get started, Tesco has partnered with horticultural supplier Westland to provide compost along with seeds for strawberries, cucumbers and tomatoes.
Tesco’s Fruit & Veg for Schools initiative focuses on schools with higher-than-average levels of free school meal eligibility, aiming to deliver around 16 million portions of fruit and vegetables. Over the course of a school year, this equates to an average of 110 portions per child.
Since launching, the programme has delivered almost 590,000kg of fruit and vegetables to participating schools. Apples, bananas, oranges, kiwi fruit and melon have proved the most popular fruits, while potatoes and carrots are among the favourite vegetables.
Claire De Silva, Head of Communities at Tesco, said: “Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools is making a real difference by helping young people in some of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities access the essential vitamins and minerals they need to thrive.
“These new planters will help schools build on that support by encouraging pupils to try healthy foods, learn where their food comes from and develop positive habits that can last a lifetime.
“They will also help children understand the importance of collecting and recycling the plastic packaging used in their homes.”
Among the schools set to benefit is Kirkhill Primary School in Aberdeen, where the planters will be installed in the nursery garden.
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Isla Duncan, Principal Teacher at the school, said: “These new planters will take pride of place in our nursery garden. We’re looking forward to growing fruit and vegetables that can be used for school snacks or taken home by the children.
“They will give every child the opportunity to get involved in planting and harvesting while helping them see first-hand how food is grown.”
The planters have been designed and manufactured by Plastecowood using household soft plastics collected at Tesco recycling points across the UK, reinforcing the retailer’s wider commitment to sustainability and community support.
