EU proposes free fruit and veg school scheme

Free fruit and vegetables could be handed to school children throughout Europe in a bid to encourage healthy eating habits at a young age.

An estimated 22 million children in the EU are overweight. More than five million of these are obese and this figure is expected to rise by 400,000 every year.

The European Commission proposal, worth £90 million per year, would pay for the purchase and distribution of fresh fruit and vegetables to schools.

This money would be matched by national funds in member states that choose to make use of the programme.