Supervalu forced to defend its exploitative schools campaign
February 26, 2008 by Joe Fogarty
SuperValu has been forced to defend its exploitative Kids in Action campaign claiming that the scheme is designed to get primary school children more involved in, active play and healthier food options.
In a press statement issued on February 26th, Super Valu, repsonded to criticism from the Campaign for Commercial Free Education about the exploitative nature of their scheme.
The Irish National Teachers Organisation and the Irish Primary Principals Network are urging parents not to participate in these types of schemes saying they are profit driven and exploitative.
However, in a statement to Ocean FM news in the northwest of Ireland, the supermarket company claimed that ”SuperValu Kids in Action is much more than just a collector scheme, the programme combines three separate initiatives aimed at both increasing physical activity levels amongst the 5 - 12years age group and encouraging them and their parents to take a fresh look at nutrition and their daily diets.
The supermarket goes onto say that the equipment costs the shopper nothing as it’s provided as a value-added item as they go about their usual weekly shop.
However speaking to Ocean FM news, Joseph Fogarty, a prinicpal teacher in Coballa National School criticised the massive levels of expenditure required to gain basic equipment through the scheme.
The Campaign supports the call by both the 30,000 strong Irish National Teachers Organsiation for teachers not to take part in these schemes. In fact the INTO has rightly criticised the governments lack of ICT funding promised in the National Development Plan.
