Fundación EROSKI is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its Food and Healthy Habits Educational Programme (PEAHS) during the 2026–2027 school year, an initiative aimed at encouraging schoolchildren to adopt a balanced diet and healthy, sustainable lifestyle habits. Since its launch in 2012, more than 2.5 million schoolchildren have taken part in the programme, which has held more than 9,000 in-store workshops and become established as one of the Foundation’s leading educational initiatives for promoting healthy lifestyles from childhood.

Over its 15-year history, the programme has consistently enjoyed high levels of participation from the educational community. Each school year, it reaches more than 2,500 schools across Spain, close to 20% of all primary schools, with a repeat participation rate of over 70%. In the 2025–2026 school year, 254,461 pupils from 2,736 schools took part, compared with 233,863 schoolchildren from 2,433 schools the previous year. The figures for recent years also reflect the initiative’s sustained growth: since the 2021–2022 school year, participation has risen from 159,442 to 254,461 schoolchildren and from 1,853 to 2,736 schools.

The initiative is particularly well established in northern Spain, where 171,353 schoolchildren from 1,895 schools in Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Navarre, La Rioja, Aragon, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands took part during the last school year. These figures represent 16% of primary school students and 32% of primary schools in these autonomous communities.

“Celebrating 15 years of this programme and having reached more than 2.5 million schoolchildren confirms the value of education as a tool for encouraging healthy lifestyles from an early age. Beyond the figures, we are particularly pleased by the trust that schools place in this initiative year after year and by its ability to continue reaching new generations. We want to continue supporting schoolchildren, families and the educational community, providing them with the knowledge and tools they need to make healthier, more responsible choices in their everyday lives,” said Alejandro Martínez Berriochoa, Managing Director of Fundación EROSKI and Health and Sustainability Director at EROSKI.

Learning Through Experience

PEAHS combines educational content and resources with practical experiences that allow students to apply what they have learned to everyday situations. The programme has a modular design so that it can be adapted to the needs of teachers and schools, and it includes classroom activities, in-store workshops, and activities for families to do together.

The programme forms part of the Fundación EROSKI Food School, a space for schoolchildren, families, education and health professionals, and the general public that promotes information and training initiatives focusing on food and lifestyles. Its activities centre on learning at school, within the family and at every stage of life.

Specialists have developed its materials, and, over the years, the initiative has benefited from the collaboration of organisations such as the Spanish Heart Foundation, UNICEF, WWF and the Basque Culinary Center. In addition, the Food School is advised by a Scientific Committee that provides an external, expert and independent perspective.

One of the programme’s distinguishing features is its in-person workshops in stores, designed to provide a practical way for pupils to apply what they have learned. Since the programme began, 9,195 workshops have been held, attended by 213,346 schoolchildren. Fundación EROSKI currently offers 14 types of in-person workshops for primary school pupils.

Understanding Children’s Habits to Keep Moving Forward

The educational work is complemented by a research programme aimed at gaining a better understanding of children’s habits and everyday lives and generating information to guide future awareness-raising and educational initiatives.

In 2024, Fundación EROSKI conducted its first survey of 2,126 primary schoolchildren aged 8 to 12 from nine autonomous communities in northern Spain. The study covered three areas: family habits related to shopping, cooking and mealtimes; children’s points of reference regarding food; and the relationship between food and emotions.

This work continued in 2025, with a second study involving 2,581 schoolchildren aged 8 to 12, focusing on the impact of screen use on their lifestyle habits and on aspects relating to usage patterns, family rules and limits, and their perception of the risks associated with excessive exposure to digital devices.

To coincide with its 15th anniversary school year, Fundación EROSKI will launch the third edition of this survey, continuing a line of work that provides deeper insight into children and generates valuable information to help further promote their well-being.

 

A Recognised Track Record

Over the years, Fundación EROSKI’s work in food education, the promotion of healthy habits and awareness-raising has received several awards and distinctions. These include the NAOS Strategy Award, recognition from the Spanish Academy of Nutrition for Best Business Initiative, the GOSASUN Seal awarded to PEAHS for its contribution to promoting healthy practices, and other distinctions in the fields of communication and social responsibility.