Current status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether there is any monitoring of what Best Start Foods cards are used to purchase.
The Best Start Foods card is restricted to stores which sell the eligible foods and is blocked for use in other establishments. The eligible foods are printed on the back of the card.
In line with our principles of fairness, dignity and respect, we do not monitor what people buy with the card. However, the qualitative evidence from the evaluation of Best Start Foods, published on 29 July 2022, suggests that people use their Best Start Foods card mainly to buy cow’s milk, baby formula, fresh fruit and vegetables and that the card enabled mothers and children to eat more healthy foods.