K-Plussa card to support healthy living and children's physical activity

Kesko, in cooperation with the Young Finland Association, launches a campaign promoting children's physical activity and healthy eating habits. To support healthy living for children and youth Kesko promises to give 0.25 cents throughout 2007 for every time a customer presents his or her K-Plussa card in a K-Group store.

The goal is to raise half a million euros during the year to be used for schoolchildren's physical activity equipment and lectures on healthy eating among other things. Customers can contribute to the amount by using their K-Plussa cards. The fund raising progress and fund recipients will be reported throughout the year.

Part of the total amount raised with the quarters of a cent will be allocated to equipment for increasing schoolchildren's physical activity during breaks. This will contribute to the project dubbed 'Schoolchildren on the Move' launched at the beginning of 2007 to increase physical activity among schoolchildren. The project wants to ensure that all schoolchildren have at least one hour of physical activity every day.

Kesko has been supporting physical activity programmes for children and youth since 1998 as one of the main sponsors of the Young Finland Association. Kesko and the Young Finland Association have signed a further cooperation agreement. The new campaign linked with the K-Plussa card deepens the cooperation and promotes the objectives of both parties.

"Kesko and the K-stores, jointly with Young Finland, want to highlight the importance of healthy food and children's physical activity. For us, it is part of being a responsible corporation and goes naturally with our operations," says Kesko's Paavo Moilanen, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications.

"As a responsible corporation Kesko is a very important partner for Young Finland. Our cooperation enables Young Finland to more extensively promote children's and youth's wellbeing and joy of life through physical activity," says Secretary General Teemu Japisson of the Young Finland Association.

Further information is available from
Kesko Corporation, Paavo Moilanen, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, tel. +358 1053 22764
The Young Finland Association, Teemu Japisson, Secretary General,
tel. +358 9 3481 2018

Kesko is the most versatile provider of trading sector services in the Baltic Sea area. In close cooperation with retailers and other partners it produces retail and wholesale services that are highly valued by customers. Kesko operates in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia.

The Young Finland Association is an independent organisation, whose main objective is to promote children's and youths' well-being and joy of life by means of physical activity. The Association consists of 53 nationwide member federations. Its most important co-operation partners are Silja Line, Kesko and Veikkaus.