CONVENIENCE stores in Dorset will soon be able to apply for government grants to stock more fruit and veg in a bid to tackle obesity which costs the economy £16 billion a year.

Under the initiative, which will be branded Change4Life, corner shops will be offered grants to buy shelving, chiller cabinets and promotional materials to drive people away from a diet of fast food.

Peter Scott, chief executive of Dorset Business (the Chamber of Commerce & Industry) said while convenience stores and obesity are often associated such shops do form a focal point for many small, rural communities.

He said: "It would be entirely logical to extend them a lifeline in the form of grants that simultaneously encourage healthier eating."

A Department of Health spokeswoman added: "We are looking for stores in deprived areas that do not currently sell fruit and veg and/or stores in less deprived areas where there are limited places to buy fruit and veg.

"We are relying on the convenience store groups to identify stores that meet these criteria and we'll then check to make sure we've got a good mix."

She added: "The healthy stores initiative will not mean that shopkeepers will stop selling crisps, sweets, fizzy drinks and other unhealthy snacks. They will just make room for and promote more fresh fruit and vegetables."

Ivan Lewis, the health minister said: "We know that families in some communities still use the corner shop on a daily basis for their food and other household goods. It is therefore essential we take healthy eating options to these stores and reach those families who are at the greatest risk of poor health due to a poor diet."

The scheme is currently being trialled in the north-east.

Obesity is the biggest health challenge in the UK. It causes 9,000 people to die prematurely every year and costs the NHS £4.2 billion a year.