Tesco is stepping up its drive to encourage its customers to follow healthier diets by linking up with celebrity chef and campaigner Jamie Oliver.

Starting this month, Oliver will front up Tesco’s ‘helpful little swaps’ in-store initiative which encourages shoppers to choose healthier alternatives that have reduced levels of sugar, salt and fat.

A series of healthy recipes and tips from the chef will also being rolled out in stores and online. Some of the ingredients from the recipes will be reduced in price and placed together to make it convenient for shoppers – with a focus on British fruit and veg.

Revealing the partnership, Tesco pointed to a recent survey of over 2,000 people which found that seven out of ten families think supermarkets should do more to help people make healthier choices, with almost 70% also saying they would like more practical advice and inspiration on healthier alternatives.

Oliver said: “Over the past few years, under new leadership, Tesco has consistently raised the bar when it comes to so many important initiatives: from food waste, to leading on industry reformulation and helping kids eat more fruit with its brilliant Free Fruit for Kids in-store programme.

“These survey results back up what I hear from my audience every single day – Britain wants to know how to enjoy more of the good stuff, in easy fun and delicious ways. This makes this partnership one of the most exciting opportunities to actually get Britain eating and celebrating more of their five fruit and veg a day.”

Alessandra Bellini, Tesco’s Chief Customer Officer added: “Jamie’s passion and skill to inspire a nation to cook, coupled with our experience and reach in providing millions of customers and colleagues with healthy, quality, affordable ingredients will be a great combination to help people take simple steps to leading healthier lives. This is a natural step in our ongoing work to make healthier eating a little easier.”

Oliver’s own restaurant business has been struggling with it forced to close some branches to curb costs. His fee for working with Tesco has not been disclosed. Oliver earned more than £10m from a previous deal with Sainsbury’s, which ended back in 2011.