The UK Government’s Department for Education (DfE) has forged new partnerships with prominent food brands to bolster its free breakfast club programme, aiming to expand access to healthy morning meals for schoolchildren. This initiative will benefit the first 750 schools participating in the scheme, which strives to provide nutritious breakfasts to pupils who might otherwise start the school day hungry.

Under the new arrangements, Sainsbury’s will contribute a £200 gift card to each school involved in the programme, enabling them to purchase essential food supplies more affordably. Meanwhile, Morrisons will support the clubs by offering a free delivery pass, easing logistical challenges especially for smaller or rural schools. Weetabix is providing discounts of up to 15% on its products Ready Brek and Weetabix purchased through selected wholesalers, and Magic Breakfast will supply a range of discounted breakfast items, including delivery services to help reduce costs for schools.

Rick Weights, head teacher of the Saxon Federation of CE Primary Schools in North Yorkshire, highlighted the practical benefits of these measures. Speaking about Morrisons' free delivery offer, he said it would make “the world of difference” in sustaining their breakfast club, particularly given the high delivery costs they face as a rural school. The savings, he explained, would allow them to improve menu options, offering a wider selection of healthy foods to pupils.

The programme's expansion will see an additional 2,000 schools join the scheme from April 2026, significantly extending its reach. The DfE underscored that these supermarket collaborations would help schools serve more affordable and varied breakfast choices, supporting the health and wellbeing of children across the UK.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson emphasised the government’s commitment to enhancing the scheme. “We’re rolling out free breakfast clubs, and now we’re going further,” she said. “By joining forces with some of Britain’s most-loved food brands, we are making our offer bigger and better – backing our schools, supporting families, and ensuring every child gets the best start in life.”

Schools that have already adopted similar approaches have reported benefits. Mary Cummins, business manager of The Oaks Primary School in Birmingham, noted the value of online supermarket deliveries for breakfast provisions, which helped them include fresh fruit in menus following feedback from children.

Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts stressed the broader social importance of the initiative. He highlighted the need to ensure every child has access to nutritious and affordable food to help them thrive academically and personally, positioning the company’s support as a contribution to tackling food insecurity among schoolchildren.

This increased collaboration between government and food retailers evidences a concerted effort to address barriers to sustaining breakfast clubs, such as high costs and delivery logistics, which can disproportionately affect smaller or rural schools. By making healthy breakfasts more accessible and affordable, the scheme aims to level the playing field for children across diverse communities.