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Britons urged to ‘eat an apple a day’

English Apples & Pears unveils 2019 marketing campaign

 

English Apples & Pears (EAP) is using the age-old wisdom ‘an apple a day’ to appeal to a new generation of British apple lovers and turn up the dial on its healthy snacking credentials.

The 2019 EAP campaign started in the New Year with online activity but kicks off in earnest this week with new research revealing the average adult racks up more than 1,400 calories a day in unhealthy snacking, outside of meals.

“We were delighted that apples regained their top spot as the nation’s favourite fruit last year[1] but the findings from our new consumer study are alarming and demonstrate an unhealthy reliance on processed, unhealthy snacks,” said Ali Capper, Executive Chair of EAP. “Experts warn that this is fuelling Britain’s obesity epidemic and in turn costing the NHS nearly £10 billion by 2050[2]. We know that healthy eating is critically important, and that’s why this year we will be encouraging everyone to swap their unhealthy snacks and choose instead to eat an apple a day. Apples are the ultimate healthy on-the-go snack.”

The EAP study of 2,000[3] people reveals the average British adult is now bingeing on 10,000 calories a week outside of meals, with men gulping down more than 1,700 calories a day on predominantly unhealthy food options and women racking up almost 1,200 snacking calories – equivalent to 66% and 58% respectively of their total recommended daily calorie intake.

EAP’s 2019 campaign will communicate that British apples are a healthier snacking option providing soluble fibre which helps to maintain fullness for longer. With the average snack racking up 183 calories, a simple swap to a British apple – at only 77 calories – could save up to 106 calories each time someone snacks. Swapping just one snack a day for a British apple could save the average person 3,120 calories a month.

Following a successful partnership with student-friendly online influencers, MOB Kitchen – who have been sharing great ways to snack on apples via their social media accounts – the EAP 2019 campaign will look to build on apple’s health credentials throughout the year, with the launch of an apple health research review led by Tom Sanders, Professor of Nutrition at King’s College, London.

Apple promotional activity will continue throughout the year peaking at the start of season when the new crop of British apples arrives in store. Plans for the Autumn include a high-profile stunt, sampling, a parliamentary event and the publication of a white paper.

“We’re urging the industry to get involved and back our 2019 campaign. With retailer support, we are confident we can persuade more people to choose apples as their healthy snack and ultimately improve the health of the nation,” added Capper.

“Our consumer research[4] has shown that over half of British shoppers (53%) buy British apples and with better, more visible displays in store 37% of those shoppers would buy even more.”

The 2019 EAP campaign, urging consumers to eat ‘an apple a day’, is designed to support the organisation’s ambitious vision for growth that is aiming for 60% of all apples on shelf in UK supermarkets to be British by 2030.

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[1] Nielsen, 52 w/e 8 September 2018

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-obesity-and-the-food-environment/health-matters-obesity-and-the-food-environment–2

[3] Censuswide – 2,005 General consumers. Research conducted: 18.02.2019 – 20.02.2019

[4] Attitudes to Apples survey, 2017