Jersey's government has ended a trial that provided free apples, bananas and other fruit to children in four primary schools since 2024. Deputy Louise Doublet said she believed cost-of-living pressures were overlooked when the decision was made to stop the scheme.
The education minister halted the programme because too few children were eating the fruit and significant quantities were being wasted. The government announced in September that fresh fruit would instead be incorporated into a school food programme offering hot meals at government primary schools.
Doublet acknowledged the minister's evidence that the scheme had not significantly increased children's consumption of fruit and vegetables. However, she said she did not think the cost-of-living benefits of the scheme were properly measured. She called for greater investment in healthy food, particularly locally grown options, to help families with living costs.
The government has contracted UK company Apetito Limited to provide the hot school meals. Doublet said she wanted to see the funded meals extended further because they help reduce costs for parents while providing nutritious food for children.