Tesco gives 500,000 low-income families free fruit & veg - here's how to get yours

Tesco is giving coupons to 500,000 low-income families so they can buy fresh fruit and vegetables

Tesco has announced a free £1 coupon scheme to help 500,000 families get access to free fruit and vegetables during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The supermarket giant plans to introduce the money-saving scheme from 16th November, with shoppers who already get the government's Healthy Start vouchers, able to benefit from money-off coupons.

So how does it work? Each time a customer who is pregnant or on certain benefits, hands over their weekly Healthy Start voucher at a Tesco checkouts in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, they will automatically receive the money-off coupon in addition.

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The coupons will be handed out at the tills once a week, for the next three months and families will be able to redeem them in their next in-store shop.

The £1 coupons can be used to buy healthy snacks of fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables. Once you've got your produce, here's some fruit recipes ideas and vegetable recipes all the family will love.

For those who qualify for the scheme and live in Scotland, get their £3.10 a week Healthy Start vouchers issued online so Tesco plans to issue the money off coupons virtually and will give more details in the coming weeks.

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Any items that cost under £1 will not be given the cash back and if the fruit and vegetables cost more than £1, shoppers will have to pay the difference.

Tesco's latest free fruit and veg scheme comes after Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford campaigned for free school meal vouchers to be provided to children over the summer during lockdown.

With the government yet to extend the scheme to cover other school holidays, businesses have volunteered to help out.

Since September Iceland has been giving out £1 coupons for frozen vegetables to eligible shoppers  as part of a trial which is now set to continue until the end of the year.

To qualify for vouchers, simply apply for the Healthy Start scheme here and see if you are eligible.