19
November
2018
|
16:41
Europe/Amsterdam

Slimming World and the RSPH scoop national award

A joint public health campaign by Slimming World and the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has won a second prestigious Public Relations (PR) award.

The ‘Size Matters’ campaign explored the impact of ‘upselling’ – using techniques to persuade customers to buy something additional or more expensive than they otherwise wouldn’t have bought – on the UK’s obesity epidemic. It showed that upselling techniques used in coffee shops, petrol stations, fast food outlets, newsagents, restaurants, cinemas and pubs are leading customers to consume thousands of additional calories.

The national PRCA Awards are the top awards for the UK PR industry, recognising the talent and impact of individuals, teams and campaigns from the best of the UK and international PR industries. The campaign was awarded the Health and Wellbeing Award, beating off competition from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Farm Safety Foundation.

Slimming World and RSPH found that consumers face an average of 106 verbal pushes towards unhealthy choices each year. As a result, the average person consumes an additional 330 calories each week – 17,000 per year – and over the course of the year that could result in an estimated weight gain of 5lbs.

 

Jenny Caven, Head of External Affairs
We feel it’s so important to raise public awareness of upselling and the impact it has on all of us, and we’re really proud of the work we’ve done with the RSPH to make a difference.
Jenny Caven, Head of External Affairs

The campaign featured on BBC Breakfast and BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and in newspapers from The Guardian to the Daily Telegraph. On social media, consumers were encouraged to say #JustThisThanks when upsold to.

Slimming World’s Head of External Affairs Jenny Caven says: “Earlier this year, Size Matters scooped a PRCA DARE award for Media Relations in the North West, so to be recognised again by the PRCA in the Health and Wellbeing category – this time on a national scale – is a huge accolade for the in-house team and our partnership with the RSPH. We feel it’s so important to raise public awareness of upselling and the impact it has on all of us, and we’re really proud of the work we’ve done with the RSPH to make a difference. Together we continue to campaign for better ways to support people to make healthier choices more easily and empower them to confidently say #JustThisThanks.”

Boilerplate

About Slimming World

Slimming World was founded by Margaret Miles-Bramwell (OBE, FRSA) in 1969. There are now more than 18,000 weekly groups supporting 900,000 members across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Groups are run by a network of 5,000 community-based Slimming World Consultants, who receive specific training in the role of diet and physical activity in weight management, as well as sophisticated behaviour-change techniques. Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, is based on the science of satiety and energy density. Our phased activity programme, Body Magic, eases members into activity until it becomes an intrinsic part of their daily routine. The principles behind Slimming World’s philosophy are based on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by overweight people and recognition that those who struggle with weight carry a double burden, the weight itself and a burden of guilt and shame about their weight. Slimming World’s programme integrates practical, up-to-date advice with a highly developed support system based on care and compassion, and Consultant training focuses on facilitating behaviour change in a warm and friendly group environment. Consultant training is delivered through the Slimming World Academy. Slimming World also invests in a comprehensive research programme to develop its support for long-term weight management. The group support provided by Slimming World is recognised as effective by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the NHS.

For more information about Slimming World’s approach visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk or call 0344 897 8000. Follow Slimming World on Twitter at www.twitter.com/slimmingworld or become a Slimming World fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/slimmingworld 

For more information on this press release email amy.williams@slimmingworld.co.uk or call 01773546170.