The glass is half full, not half empty! …

That should be the verdict on the results of the Scottish Government’s annual school meals survey, published today.

In both primary and secondary schools, there has been an overall increase in school meal attendance, year-on-year. And not only that, over 60% of local authorities increased uptake in their primary schools and over 50% increased uptake in their secondary schools – the hardest market to improve. This shows clearly that the nation’s young people can be persuaded to eat healthily at school.

And how have these authorities increased uptake? Mostly because they have embraced the whole school approach, getting education and catering staff to work collaboratively and selling the product using innovative, and sustained, marketing.

 Brand name competitors outside the school gates use marketing constantly to attract business from young people. So there’s no reason why schools can’t beat them at their own game. It’s not just about having the biggest marketing budget. Remember David and Goliath? All it takes is a bit of creative effort to claim the higher ground – live bands and fashion shows (made up of pupils) in the dining hall at lunchtime are just a few of the creative ways to improve school meal uptake.

And isn’t funny how pupils are perfectly happy to pack out – and buy out – the school dining hall when the weather is bad. They just need a compelling reason to be there! 

Amidst the current economic turbulence, one ray of hope for our country must surely be the health and wellbeing of our young people. So, it’s imperative the government maintains its commitment and focus to healthier school meals and that schools increase their marketing effort. 

Bill McGowan, Managing Director, InChannel Communications Ltd

About the author: 

Bill McGowan is a chartered marketer, with an interest in school meals marketing. The marketing communications consultancy he started in 2004 works closely with a growing number of local authorities in Scotland to assist in improving uptake of school meals, following the introduction of the Hungry For Success guidelines and The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) Act. This work has ranged from undertaking consultation and research (surveys and focus groups) with pupils, parents, teachers and catering staff, to implementing marketing programmes to promote school meals.